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U.S. President Barack Obama has named the Republican governor of Utah to be the next U.S. ambassador to China, a pivotal post in relations between the United States and a major emerging economic power.
Jon Huntsman Jr., 49, a Mandarin-speaking former U.S. trade official with deep personal and family business ties to China, takes on a delicate diplomatic role with a vital trading partner and one of the biggest sources of financing for the growing pile of U.S. government debt.
“This ambassadorship is as important as any in the world because the United States will best be able to deal effectively with the global challenges of the 21st century by working in concert with China,” Obama said at a White House ceremony with Huntsman at his side…
Huntsman quoted a Chinese aphorism as he accepted the nomination on Saturday, which he translated as, “Together we work, together we progress.”
“This more than anything else, I think, captures the spirit of our journey going forward,” he said.
A senior administration official said Huntsman was seen as a problem-solver rather than a dogmatist, and called him a “‘no drama Obama’ type” who was fluent in the language and culture and well versed in critical issues affecting the region…
Huntsman served as deputy U.S. trade representative in the Bush administration from 2001-2004, and was U.S. ambassador to Singapore from 1992 to 1994 when Bush’s father was president.
Huntsman is one more example of a traditional American conservative who is becoming a rarity in the Republican Party.
Obama at his best.
He crossed over the divide and actually choose the best guy for the job.
Big kudos to Obama, and hoping to see more of the same.
Can you clarify what you mean by one-way bipartisanship?
Perhaps Obama is doing the same thing to Huntsman that he did H.Clinton, keep him busy with overseas affairs so he won’t have to compete with him at home.
Huntsman sounds like an excellent candidate for the job. Could the internal GOP witch hunters prevent him from accepting it? Hardcore republicans might view this as consorting with the enemy.
@#1 I’d agree with the part that this is Obama at his best. But not your interpretation of his best… There I agree with #2: he is best in political machinations that can for the followers be explained as acts of good will while serving selfish political purpose (same as appointing Clinton, not to work with her but to gain control and remove her political threat).
Unfortunately, people who understand such political tactics the best are not USA citizens but people who experienced socio-communist governments where these kinds of “1984”-like actions were common place (and where I’d bet Obama have learned the art).
>Huntsman is one more example of a traditional American conservative who is becoming a rarity in the Republican Party.
Huh?
I’d like to vet you
on a slow boat to China
J/P=?
#3. I hate to bother you, but I do beleive your tin-foil hat is on way too tight.
I can’t help but be suspicious of this appointment. Huntsman is a moderate republican who was being promoted as someone who could whoop Obamahammed’s rear end come the next election. This pretty much gets him out of the way for 2012 but look out in 2016 when he comes back not only with governor credentials but foreign relations expertise. Oddly, though, it makes Barry’s road a little tougher as Huntsman was a fellow Global Warming believer and his successor, the Lt Gov Herbert sneers at climate change. Well, whatever the reasoning, Huntsman is likely to be the right man for the job in China. He’s been a pretty good governor, I understand, so maybe he’ll do well in Beijing. It’s a tough job in these times. I wish him luck and success.
#4 – “traditional American conservative” – You got it. Newspeak in action. Brand a clear moderate as conservative to muddy the issue.
Wow, an ambassador who speaks the language of the country he’s going to. Smart move.
One way bi-partisanship = One way jobs to China
More pix of his wife, plz.
Can someone explain to me how giving him a position of such importance as ambassador to china is getting him out of the way of the 2012 election?
I would think this would give him ever more of a chance of become President in 2012 because he will have international experience.
Can someone please explain it to me?
Thank you.
Q: What kind of partisan devotee thinks that appointing an ambassador of the opposite party is a newsworthy outrage?
A: A dvorak.org editor.
I pity the guy. He will end up being the one called into Bejing to inform the U.S. they completely own us.
#12.. it is hard to campaign in Iowa and other states when you are working over in China.
#11 – Take a shower, Olo. She’s Mormon…
Before Huntsman became governor of Utah, he was a US diplomat in China, so giving him the ambassadorship isn’t earthshaking. Considering he was a potential challenger to Obama in 2012, this was a smart move for Obama.
Huntsman got elected governor because his daddy is a Utah billionaire that everyone loves. (Who wouldn’t love the guy who founded the Huntsman Cancer Research Center?) I think a huge minority of Utah Republicans like the Governor because of his name and the “R”. But he is a RINO Republican who is selling Utah down the river with his collusion with Arnold on the Western Climate Initiative. (Our utility rates will triple if this passes.) He actually organized a meeting between a group of US Governors and Chinese leadership to discuss Global Warming. The trip was cancelled because of Swine Flu.
Personally, I’m glad the SOB is heading overseas. In the five years he has been our governor, he has stood for nothing and has committed to nothing. Even his stand on Global Warming was just a move to position himself for a run at POTUS; an environmental checkmark to offset his Republican industrialist roots.
Good riddance.
I really admire Obama’s leading from the center.
It’s exactly what the country needs after the toxic wedge politics of New Gingrich, Karl Rove, Tom DeLay and John Boehner.
Now we need some Republicans to step-up for the love of America.
>Bob Bins said, on May 18th, 2009 at 7:31 am
>>Huntsman is one more example of a traditional American conservative who is becoming a rarity in the Republican Party.
>Huh?
Your “huh?” pretty-much sums up everything wrong with conservative politics. People have totally forgotten the time when there was decent politics in America.
Poor choice.
Obama needs to recognize that Republicans have no interest in bipartisanship. This is not the town hall meeting environment he is used to where different points are view are discussed.
Republicans will simply take all, give nothing in return and stab you in the back. He should fight the them while they are going down in flames.
# 20, Ayatollah,
Amazing how Eideard spins everything…
Please, take your meds then hustle your fat ass over to this link and register your complaint.
http://tinyurl.com/p3fn24
>Huntsman is one more example of a traditional American conservative who is becoming a rarity in the Republican Party.
Yes, another guy you praise as the right type of candidate, but wouldn’t vote for if he were actually on the ballot, as McCain suggested he would be on Meet The Press.
#23, Lyin’ Mike,
Having another day?
I know nothing about Huntsman other than what I have read here. If he is being called a “good” conservative then all the power to him. My ballot will still go to whomever most represents my ideals. That could be Democratic, Green, or even Nazi.
Being a conservative is what sets him apart from the Republican Party that was being hijacked by Boss Limpdick, Sarah Palin, and the other neo-cons that support Bushian style Politics.
MikeN…there’s a difference between a guy I probably wouldn’t vote for, and someone I’d never vote for in a million freakin’ years.
But the problem is that the right wing today sees it black and white, their heroes (e.g. Palin) vs Satan’s children, any Democrat anywhere, ever. Newt, Rove, and Rush started that crap, and it’s not healthy for the USA.
Huntsman is a little to the left of fiscally conservative Gov’s. He wouldn’t cut it running as a Repub Pres candidate any more than McCain did.
What are Gov. Huntsman’s “deep … business ties to China”?