I woke up this morning to the stunning news that President Obama is selecting moderate Republican Governor Jon Huntsman of Utah, thought to be a leading candidate for the GOP nomination for President in 2012, to be his Ambassador to China.
Huntsman, who was seen as a person promoting moderation in his views on widening the base of the GOP, and has shown courage on the issue of gay civil unions and global warming, was formerly Ambassador to Singapore under the first President Bush, and speaks fluent mandarin Chinese. He also served as US Trade Representative under the second President Bush. Huntsman also loosened the tough liquor law restrictions of heavily Mormon Utah to promote tourism.
With one action, Obama has given the nation a well qualified Ambassador to China, added another Republican to his team, and eliminated the possibility of Huntsman attacking him and campaigning for President in 2012. What a brilliant maneuver by Obama, which helps his reelection campaign and weakens the Republican opposition further, and only promotes the marginalization of the GOP, which promoted recent criticism of Huntsman for advocating moderation. When will the Republicans finally understand how they are dooming their future strength with their narrowminded, head in the sand approach to broadening their base?