In his
speech, which lasted a
bit less than 14 minutes, Huntsman recalled that, "President Reagan
launched his 1980 general election campaign from this very spot."
Then too, Huntsman said, "It was a time of trouble, worry and
difficulty."
After Huntsman finished his
speech, his wife Mary Kaye and
their seven children joined him on the platform. He then did an
interview with Sean Hannity before proceeding to Newark airport and a
flight to his next stop, at Exeter Town Hall in New Hampshire.
Huntsman, 51, joins a field which already includes seven major
candidates: Rep. Michele Bachmann (MN), former Speaker Newt Gingrich,
former Gov. Gary Johnson (NM), Rep. Ron Paul (TX), former Gov. Tim
Pawlenty (MN), perceived frontrunner former Gov. Mitt Romney (MA), and
former Sen. Rick Santorum (PA). Huntsman presents himself as new
and fresh, and unlike some of the other candidates he has not been
campaigning for the last two years. Indeed he only finished his
service as
Ambassador to China at the end of April. His ambassadorship,
tenure as governor, and business experience place
him in the top tier of the Republican field. Huntsman's service
as
ambassador is both a plus and a minus; it gives him a perspective that
none of the other candidates can offer, yet it also means he has served
in the Obama administration, which will not recommend him to some
Republicans. Like Romney, Huntsman is a Mormon, which remains a
problem for a small part of the electorate.
In some respects Huntsman's campaign recalls Sen. John McCain's 2000
run for the White House; his campaign team includes veterans of
McCain's 2000 and 2008 efforts, notably senior advisor John
Weaver. Huntsman was the first governor to endorse McCain's 2008
bid, in July 2006. Huntsman is planning to bypass the Iowa
caucuses and place a major emphasis on New Hampshire's
first-in-the-nation primary. New Hampshire is seen as
almost a must-win state for Romney, so things could get hot in the
Granite State. |
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