Can Jon Huntsman's 'good guy' campaign work?
The newest entrant in the GOP presidential contest promises to be civil. Big mistake?
Former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman announced his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination on Tuesday, pledging that he won't hurl mud at his GOP rivals or at President Obama and that he'll keep his campaign "on the high road." "I respect my fellow candidates," said Huntsman, who was Obama's ambassador in China until this spring, "and I respect the president of the United States." But at a time when Republicans are increasingly furious with Obama, does a "good guy" candidate stand a chance?
In a word, no: "I wish Huntsman luck in this noble pursuit," says Dana Milbank in The Washington Post, "but the high road almost always leads to political oblivion." Huntsman's appeal — his civility and humanity — "are the very qualities our political system seems to abhor." If Huntsman doesn't learn how to be mean soon, "he will join other decent men — Richard Lugar, Orrin Hatch — whose presidential campaigns were quickly forgotten."
"Jon Huntsman's first step toward oblivion"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
This might be the year a nice guy could win: "In any other presidential cycle, a candidate with such a soft-shoe approach — especially going up against the crowd-pleasing oratory of Barack Obama — would not go far," says Maggie Haberman at Politico. But when the frontrunner is the "less-than-sizzling" Mitt Romney, Huntsman has a rare window of opportunity. Frustrated voters disappointed with how the country has fared since 2008 might like Huntsman's reassuringly "mellow" message.
"Jon Huntsman's mellow 2012 announcement has a window"
To win, Huntsman will have to fight: Huntsman clearly sought Ronald Reagan comparisons by launching his campaign in front of the Statue of Liberty, as Reagan did in 1980, say Craig Shirley and Bill Pascoe at The Daily Caller. Reagan was dignified, but he didn't try "to get favorable press for his 'Mr. Nice Guy' approach to campaigns." He "threw uppercut after uppercut at Jimmy Carter," and stood up for conservative views. That's how you win elections.
"Jon Huntsman is no Ronald Reagan"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
LA-to-Las Vegas high-speed rail line breaks ground
Speed Read The railway will be ready as soon as 2028
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel's military intelligence chief resigns
Speed Read Maj. Gen. Aharon Haliva is the first leader to quit for failing to prevent the Hamas attack in October
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 23, 2024
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - Gen Z remonstrated, plastic recycling, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published