Jon M. Hunstman Jr., who?

http://video.nytimes.com/video/2011/12/03/us/politics/100000001205505/on-the-trail-with-jon-huntsman.html

(WATCH THE VIDEO)

When I say huntsman, you say … cricket… We have heard a great deal about the leading Republican candidates like Perry, Romney, Bachmann, Gingrich, Cain, etc. (in no particular order) but we have not heard much about former Governor of Utah, Jon M. Huntsman Jr. Why exactly haven’t we heard of him? Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times gives us a simple answer: Money. Unfortunately for Mr. Huntsman, it takes a lot of money to keep up with this political process, all of which he doesn’t have. What he does have though is the drive to go door to door in seek of votes and this just in… some help from his billionaire industrialist father.

Rutenberg writes that we are beginning to see Huntsman in a newly released commercial which states “no one has shown up we can trust as conservative.” And then proceeds to answer with, “the presidential candidate they are searching for, is Jon M. Huntsman Jr. The commercial apparently isn’t being financed by Huntsman’s campaign but rather a group called Our Destiny PAC. Remember I discussed PAC’s in earlier posts? Well, if not, it’s still there so feel free to take a look!

Our Destiny PAC is a group that (financed by none other than his billionaire father) has most definitely given Huntsman a good pull up because he was beginning to flunk. This must be really hard for a man who had previously said that any credible campaign has to be able to raise its own money. Well Mr. Huntsman, what do you have to say about that now? I guess it is important that our candidates take a step back and refrain from some of the things they say. It is possible to speak TOO soon.

Rutenberg writes “Since the Our Destiny advertisements began running two weeks ago, officials at the PAC noted that the candidate’s poll numbers had crept up into the double digits. He remains far behind Mitt Romney, and now Newt Gingrich. But he seems to be picking up some support from voters abandoning Gov. Rick Perry and Herman Cain after their recent stumbles, and those who are now presumably seeking a new candidate given Mr. Cain’s campaign suspension.” Although this may be true, it is said that those close to Huntsman have said that he doesn’t want things to be handed to him as a result of his father’s wealth. That is most definitely respectable because ”when asked during an interview on Thursday night if he would call for more help from his father, Mr. Huntsman said: “We don’t operate that way. We’re all pretty pragmatic in my family. We might help a little, but the marketplace ultimately is the greatest judge of whether or not you’ve got the winning formula.”

It’s clear that Huntsman wants to take the election head on strictly based on his credentials, rather than money. “Mr. Huntsman said that for now he intended to continue with his almost exclusively face-to-face campaign here. His campaign reports that he has made 114 visits to town-hall-style meetings and house parties, where groups of two dozen or so Republicans, independents and sometimes even Democrats come to hear him speak. While others have been able to gain free publicity on cable news, Mr. Huntsman does not have the bombast or the poll numbers to draw the sort of media attention that others like Mr. Cain and Mr. Gingrich have received.” (Rutenberg).  

Mr. Huntsman specifically said, “While it may not manifest itself immediately in polls today, I think come Jan. 10, the work on the ground — and at least being recognized as the candidate willing to put in some sweat equity — will pay off,” Mr. Huntsman said. Although this could all be just a political show he’s putting on for us, I think there’s a great amount of integrity and willingness coming from this man. He’s not the ordinary candidate that’s strung up on money because he’s more interested in what’s important; the people.

“What his team did not expect was that they would be so cash-poor at this stage of the race. Part of the problem, people close to Mr. Huntsman said, is that as someone born to a rich father who raised him with a strict work ethic, putting his hand out for money from strangers — or even friends and friends of friends — has not come easily” (Rutenberg).

Although I don’t necessarily know too much about his stance on politics, what I DO know is that this man is doing what he can the best way he knows how. He is in a position that none of the other candidates are in and he seems to be doing well for himself. It says a lot about his character and commitment to his work. I’m really interested in seeing what’s to come out of this man, because something tells me he’s worth a shot (at least more than most of the other candidates). 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/us/politics/jon-huntsmans-cash-poor-campaign-gets-help-from-father.html?pagewanted=2&ref=politics