Eight months ago, we saw one of the more memorable moments of the race for the Republican presidential nomination. At the time, there were eight candidates participating in a debate, and they were asked whether they'd accept a debt-reduction deal in which Democrats would give up $10 in spending cuts for every $1 in tax increases. Each GOP candidate said they'd reject that deal.
That was in August. Now, Jon Huntsman looks back at the incident with regret.
Huntsman said he regrets his decision to oppose a 10-to-1 spending cuts to tax increase deal to cut the deficit at the Iowa debate lamenting: "if you can only do certain things over again in life."
"What went through my head was if I veer at all from my pledge not to raise any taxes…then I'm going to have to do a lot of explaining," he explained. "What was going through my mind was 'don't I just want to get through this?'"
That decision, Huntsman said, "has caused me a lot of heartburn."
Indeed, it looks like the former Utah governor appears to be quite unhappy about a lot of things just a few months after ending his presidential campaign. Huntsman appeared in New York last night at an event at the 92nd Street Y, and reflected on a wide variety of recent developments, including being disinvited from a Florida fundraiser in March after he publicly called for a third party.
"This is what they do in China on party matters if you talk off script," he said.
As a rule, prominent Republicans who hope to have a future in electoral politics don't compare their party to the Chinese government. It's a reminder that Huntsman, who was considered a fairly conservative governor of one of the nation's most conservative states, simply doesn't recognize his own party anymore as the GOP moves further and further to the right.
I was also struck by Huntsman's comments about his party and the Reagan legacy.
Asked by journalist Jeff Greenfield if he could win the nomination of the Republican Party in Utah today, Huntsman said he could not, saying later that Ronald Reagan would "likely not" be able to win the GOP nomination nationally in this political climate.
When President Obama made a very similar remark in a speech a few weeks ago, it caused something of a stir, but it's worth appreciating the fact that quite a few prominent GOP officials are now willing to say Reagan was far too liberal to be tolerated by today's Republican Party. Huntsman suggested this yesterday, but let's not forget that Mike Huckabee said a year ago, "Ronald Reagan would have a very difficult, if not impossible, time being nominated in this atmosphere of the Republican Party." Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) had a nearly identical take in 2010, arguing Reagan "would have a hard time getting elected as a Republican today."
Why does this matter? Because it should probably tell the American mainstream something important when the GOP moves so far to the ideological extreme that even prominent Republican voices agree that it's no longer the Party of Reagan.
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This serves as further proof that Jon Huntsman was the most sane man on that stage at one point. Too bad that in the modern GOP being sane and rational is a negative quality.
It means you're reading from some other curriculumn, you snob!
or you've been indoctrinated by the vast-left wing conspiracy.
Huntsman stated his economic plan was the Ryan budget and openly endorsed it on several occasions. That's a non-starter for me. Huntsman is as ideological as the rest of them, don't let him fool you.
Ideological or not, if what he's saying is true - and I don't entirely disbelieve him - then that certainly explains a few things.
Go back through the Republican debates. Look for the 'let 'em die' moment. Watch Ron Paul's reaction to the crowd.
regrets? he's had a few...but he did it his way... which of course led to the highway because the GOP just couldn't have anyone but a true believer. ahhh johnny we hardly knew ye. . .
But "true believers" in what? The ONLY belief they seem to have is "Whatever President Obama says, we're against."
They haven't disavowed their relationship to Lincoln yet, either. I suspect Reagan would have adapted, though. He wasn't exactly a paragon of virtue.
If they disavow Lincoln they'd have to stop using him as "proof" that the Democrats are the racist party. No matter how far right they go they'll never abandon that little bit of insanity.
Reservoir: They still have the "Democrats started the KKK" so they have a couple nuggets of finger pointing left in them.
What is scary is this drive to ideological purity hurts real people, but the media, cowed as it is, rarely reports how far right the Koch Republicans have moved.
We used to put people as crazy as many modern Republicans in homes for the criminally insane, now we call them Governor or Senator.
Hmmmm ... I wonder if that's why Reagan closed all of the mental hospitals?
Like the "N" Word, you can only criticize Reagan if you "R" one. . .
The Republicans must be getting pretty desperate, when they make up senseless scenarios about President Obama. It is much better though, when the Republicans have finally been exposed for what they are, nothing but slaves and puppets for the rich dark agenda and everyone else can live in poverty and despair just so some corrupt rich people can have their way. President Obama is not a God, but he certainly does know how to be a better Christian than some religious extremists on the far right nonsense. And the Republicans keep proving how they are power craving, hypocrites, greedy, deceivers, arrogant, and corrupt. It is about time some real truth has been shown and given to the people on what the GOP/Republicans are really about --- nothing but worthless dogs that would rather destroy the world before doing anything that would be right and what it is to be a good Christian.
It is about time some real truth has been shown and given to the people on what the GOP/Republicans are really about
Try to talk to the rank-and-file... They just don't believe you. I try. How can so many people live in such an alter-universe?
Oh, I forgot... FOX News.
Please don't insult my dog (or any dog , for that matter) like that.
Seems like Huntsman is angling for that Americans Elect (or whatever they call themselves) nomination, because he's going to be anathema in GOP circles. Which is fine with me; let them nominate the more conservative candidate to draw off voters from Romney.
And for the record, the current GOP is EXACTLY like the Chinese communist party - hew to our masters' dogmatic line or we'll kick you out.
Grand Old Politburo
Huntsman....oh my....is this true? You really called out your own party on their bulls**t?
Maybe there is a God.....
Lindsey Graham, that's a laugh coming from the camouflage tutu itself: all he need say is the truth about his sexual preference to be booted but good.
What? How Lindsey likes women? What relevance does that have?
All lesbians are attracted to women... http://bit.ly/cWQTw
What's frightening is that the GOP went so far as to whip up and encourage much of the "tea-potty" paranoia, figuring that it would give them an up in the elections. Now of course the rabid reich is uncontrollable, and the know-nothing obstinate sheeple that were sent to Congress cannot and will not be controlled. Now there is "buyers remorse". As the old saying goes "be careful what you wish for".
I keep thinking the working people would figure out the republican party is NOT for the average working stiff. I live in coal mining territory, and they only vote on the JOBS issue. If Big Coal was supported by President Obama, they would still not vote for the N***** in the White House. I was told I was a N-lover. I suppose I am, but the fact being, these same people don't follow the twists and turns in our politics and they want to believe anything the right says. They don't know the Kochs, and the rest of the people who own the mines are the "domestic enemies". Guns and God and Good Times is the way of life here.
I really like what you perspective. Just keep at it; one at a time and you will have a break through.
Back in the Reagan days, I considered myself a Republican. These days, I would sooner cut off my arms than to vote for anyone with (R) after their name. By pointing out that Reagan himself couldn't survive in a party full of people that like to brand themselves as "Reagan Republicans," this article helps me assuage my self-loathing at having formerly supported the GOP.
So now that Huntsman realizes he has no future in politics, he's willing to criticize his party? That's really courageous... for a Republican.
John Huntsman seems to be the only Republican speaking with a sane point of view. Everytime I see him on the news, he appears real, concerned, possesses a sense of vision.
As others have said, it is pretty clear that Huntsman was the most sane and presidential candidate the republicans have. Considering what he has done is akin to political suicide within the party, I applaud him for standing up and stating what is right and what is wrong. He should return in some capacity to the Obama Administration. We need more truth telling Republicans within Washington.
The Republican Party is not moving farther right. Let's get this straight. They are moving farther crazy, and I mean bat guano crazy. Their leadership and followership seem to be in an arms race to see who can become the most reality-challenged.
Evolution? "No, not me thanks, that should just be an option in science class." Taxes? "Never." Environment? "Heh, heh, heh." (yes, that Dubya laugh again). And it's not just the corporate bootlickers and anti-Jesus fundamentalist "Christians" trying to go all apocalyptic on us, but the very core of the party.
Nothing but scorched earth. Same mentality as the tinpot dictators running around in the Middle East or garden-variety serial killers like liberal-youth-assassin Norwegian wacko Breivik: "World do what I say, no matter how perverse or irrational, or I will destroy you myself." Talk about a devil's bargain. They want to destroy the earth and if we don't do it they'll destroy the earth!
And what do the Democrats do? "Okay let's meet you half way. If we agree to destroy half the earth a little more slowly, then can we get unemployment benefits?"
Progressives, it's gut check time. Time for a third option and third party that progresses toward reality and leadership committed to making things better instead of worse for future generations.
I always knew there was a reason why I liked that guy, he's like the only reasonable person in a room full of idiots.
It was obvious to me from the very first debate that Huntsman was the only sane candidate .....which if why he never had a chance. The GOP doesn't want sanity. They want hatred. It's what they live for......their hatred of Obama, their hatred of taxes, their hatred of regulation and their fake hatred of big government. I don't care what anyone says.... the GOP proved to me that it is a racist party when they said from day one that their only objective was to make Obama a one term president. Not knowing anything about how the President would lead at that time shows me that the only issue the GOP had with Obama was that he was African-American and that was not acceptable to them.
Huntsman is referring to the GOP Great Wall of Ignorance, with the chief architect Karl Rove.
Yes but Reagan could be elected as a Democrat these days.
True. And depressing.
Aye...and that's the saddest thing of all
All this praise for Huntsman kind of makes my skin crawl. He didn't have the guts to speak his mind when it mattered, and he changed his positions numerous times from what were originally centrist views to right wing views so he could continue to play in the GOP field. He's not much better than Mittens. I felt he was the sane one of the bunch when the early GOP debates were happening, but he ended up espousing the same nonsense as the rest of them by the time he finally threw in the towel.
It's very much praise in perspective. He was the best Republican candidate, which is kind of like saying "oh boy, I've got syphilis, the best of the sexually transmitted diseases." He's the best of the bunch but among that field it's not saying much.
That said right up until he dropped out I was still rooting for the guy. Sure I wouldn't take him over Obama but out of those Republican candidates he was my favourite.
Love the STD analogy:) He was definitely the best of the pack, but they're all at the mercy of Grover Norquist and his ilk. It never ceases to amaze me that these freaks keep getting elected.
This has absolutely nothing to do w/ the conversation at hand:
Squee! A whippet! I looove them! I call them mini-greyhounds
You may now continue w/ your regularly scheduled political discussion
I would have voted for Huntsman if the RWNJ's didn't have such a huge pull on the party. Despite agreeing with Ryan's budget, he could have at least been worked with, he not just that much of a right winger to not talk about it.
This is indeed not your father's Republican Party, anymore.
Why is Huntsman even a Republican? If anything, with as bat-sh*t as the GOP currently is, I'd have thought he would have had a better chance as an independent.