This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
It's a long time from leaf-peeping season in New Hampshire. So the fact that former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has been spending a lot of time there — in parlors, pancake houses and press gaggles — suggests that he is running for president.
People who are thinking about seeking their party's presidential nomination often take a prolonged test drive over the campaign trail before making it official. But now that the field is starting to sift itself out, it is about time to declare.
Huntsman should run.
It's way too soon for any newspaper endorsements, but an official Huntsman for President campaign would be good for the Republican Party and for the country.
As people in Utah well know, and reporters and political pundits are starting to learn, Huntsman exudes a level-headed vibe and has a long history of political acts and statements that place him squarely in the center-right part of the political spectrum. Which, it just so happens, is where most of the American electorate finds its comfort zone.
As governor, Huntsman worked well, and patiently, with members of a state Legislature that was well to his right. As ambassador to China, he was duty-bound to serve when called by a White House that was well to his left. The fact that he has the ability to negotiate such swift political currents without losing his way or his cool is a characteristic that not only belongs in the White House, but would improve the quality of our campaign discourse even from a candidate who doesn't win. Or who might be positioned better for 2016.
Huntsman's views on various issues can also help to move the debate to a rational middle ground. He is not a climate change denier, and wants steps taken to deal with it, but not if it means placing an intolerable burden on the economy. He brooks no hatred of illegal immigrants, but favors a plan to secure the border before integrating those already here into mainstream American life. He does not favor same-sex marriage, but is for civil unions. We thought he was unwise to sign the since-repealed school voucher bill in Utah, but otherwise he is known to be a friend of public education.
Like fellow Republican hopeful Mitt Romney, Huntsman may find his Mormon ancestry a barrier to being accepted by many non-Utah voters. But, while Romney can strike observers as a political chameleon, Huntsman is all diplomat, doesn't wear his religious faith on his sleeve, and moves comfortably among people of all backgrounds and beliefs. That should be good not only for Huntsman, but for all Mormons and all Americans of any religious background.
Huntsman's sense of balance would benefit the whole of Campaign 2012, win or lose. He should run.