Huntsman wins endorsement from N.H. paper
(CNN) – A major New Hampshire newspaper backed Jon Huntsman for the Republican nomination Thursday, painting him as the only consistent conservative in the race for the White House.
To seemingly prop up Huntsman, the editorial board of the Concord Monitor hit Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney, the two frontrunners in the first-in-the-nation primary state, as unpredictable.
"With Gingrich, voters would get an unpredictable, unprincipled nominee and, should he be elected, a white-knuckle four years of an imperial presidency," the editorial read. "With Romney, they wouldn't know who they would get."
Although the paper said they disagree with Huntsman on issues including abortion and civil unions, they wrote that he would provide the brand of leadership, especially on fiscal issues, needed in the United States and present the "greatest challenge to [Barack] Obama."
"If elected, he would provide mature, informed and steady leadership," the paper wrote. "Huntsman's depth of experience, maturity, sincerity and ability to work toward a common goal with political opponents make him the Republicans' best choice to face President Obama in 2012."
It also lauded Huntsman for serving as U.S. ambassador to China under President Obama, a sticking point for conservatives in the candidate's record.
"Such willingness to put the good of the country over party considerations is exactly what's missing in politics today," the editorial read.
Despite his low standing in national polls, Huntsman has focused his energy on the Jan. 10 New Hampshire primary, hoping a high finish in the Granite State will propel his candidacy.
The editorial page of the Monitor published an anti-Romney endorsement during the last presidential cycle, during the former Massachusetts governor's first bid for the GOP nomination. The state's leading paper, the New Hampshire Union Leader, threw their support behind former House Speaker Gingrich last month.
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I was thinking Newspaper people do their work by reasoning. It looks like I was wrong. The man, (Huntsman) has never once even polled at 5%. It has been 2% or even less. How can it be he can pull himself up to 50%. Is it possible? Really?
Amb. Huntsman is an illustration of what is most wrong with the current direction of the conservative movement today. Here is a guy who is seemingly everything they would wish for in a strong candidate. Huntsman should be the logical choice for the majority of voters who subscribe to conservatism. He's consistently conservative, hasn't flip-flopped on any issue that I know about, he has more leadership and foreign policy experience than anyone else in the race.
So, why does Huntsman consistenly poll below Santorum, the conservative's conservative? Because choosing Huntsman would be a *logical* choice arrived at from facts. Today's conservatives are making decision based upon emotions, completely ignoring facts for whatever their reasons. Some would suggest that they are blinded by hate.
Why did you have to use that photo of him for this piece? He looks like he just smelled something bad. Either way, the editorial says it all: With Huntsman, you're getting a true statesman, not just a politician.
Why does Huntsman even need a campaign site? He has CNN.
Couldn't be.... Someone has actually come to their senses?