Hunstman, Obama, and China

I waited for a couple days to write this post because I found myself initially thinking what a dupe John Huntsman Jr. was for accepting the post as ambassador to China. But due to waiting and thinking this one I have come to a different conclusion.

I think it is a smart move by Huntsman and an interesting move by President Obama.

President Obama gets to trump this move as a bipartisan appointment to an important post for a prominent and rising Republican star. Huntsman backed Obama's opponent John McCain during the presidential campaign, not Romney as I had expected before he made the announcement. Democratic pundits will now point to this as an example of the President attempting to reach out and give an equal hand to Republicans.

Or is it an attempt to stifle the competition in 2012?

Huntsman name has come up several times in discussions about 2012 Republican candidates along with Charlie Crist, Bobby Jindal, Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin, and Mitt Romney. I believe he is a viable candidate for President in 2012, but now even more so in 2016 and let me explain why. What are the qualifications the public wants to see in a president?

• He is charismatic. Bill Clinton is charismatic, George Bush Jr. is charismatic, Barack Obama is charismatic, Ronald Reagan was charismatic. I don't know what happened to Carter or George Bush Sr. Dole is not, Kerry is not, Gore is not, McCain is not. John Huntsman is charismatic.
• He doesn't come across as too far left or right, more in the center. Huntsman is far right enough for the mainstream to believe in his conservative values but enough in the center to capture the moderate and center-leaning left votes as well. He is conservative enough for the South (wrong religion though) but liberal enough for the cities on the East Coast and the Left Coast. He appeals to that middle section that determines the presidency. His support of civil unions in Utah has gone a long way to forming that belief.
• He has executive level experience. Clinton, Reagan, and Bush were governors. Obama served in the Senate and was a community organizer :). Huntsman was a governor, a fairly good one at that.
• He makes people believe that he can do what he promises. Clinton, Reagan, both Bushes, and Obama have made people believe those campaign promises. Did you ever think John Kerry, Walter Mondale, Al Gore, or Michael Dukakis could be tough with countries like Russia, China, or Iran? Nope. Huntsman gives the air of honesty and trust, he has energy and he never seems to get ruffled. I believe what he says.

So what does he lack? Foreign experience.

Then again, neither did Barack Obama or George Bush.

So how does this work out? He goes to China and visibly deals with a world superpower. He gains that experience that would put him at the forefront of the GOP primary in 2016. Maybe in 2012 but I think his best chance is in 2016.

Now, I have no doubt that Obama did this for ulterior reasons as well. One of his biggest challengers for 2012 is out-of-sight-out-of-mind. If Hunstman does well, it reflects well on President Obama. If he does poorly then it doesn't necessarily come back to President Obama, this adminstration is very good at blaming somebody else when problems come up. President Obama did the same thing with his biggest Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Any success she has reflects well on the President, she owns the failures.

But could this backfire for the President? Absolutely, and in 2012. More likely he has set up the Democratic party to fall in the 2016 presidential election by affording the opportunity to Huntsman to gain important foreign experience. But why should Barack Obama worry? In 2016 he will be safely ensconced in a pantheon of his own making, kind of like Bill Clinton.

Another reason I like this move is the opportunity for a recognized member of the LDS church to be in China and be at the forefront. As one of the first 50 missionaries to the Soviet Union in 1991 I know what working on the frontier is like. I think this bodes well for LDS recognition in China and is something else in softening the hearts of Chinese leader.

Hang on for a wild ride in the next 7 years!