Opinion: Jon Huntsman smacks fellow GOP hopefuls on ‘This Week’
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In an interview set to air Sunday on ABC’s ‘This Week,’ current GOP presidential contender Jon Huntsman Jr. -- a former Utah governor and U.S. ambassador in Asia for two presidents -- reacted to the rise of candidates Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann by taking swings at his fellow Republicans.
In conversation with Jake Tapper, Huntsman -- who didn’t focus on Iowa and finished ninth out of 10 contenders in the recent Ames straw poll -- appeared to be laying claim to the ‘centrist’ label by embracing some points of view more common to Democrats.
Here are a few excerpts:
Regarding Perry’s skepticism about anthropogenic global warming: ‘When we take a position that basically runs counter to what 98 of 100 climate scientists have said, what the National Academy of Science ... Sciences, has said about what is causing climate change and man’s contribution to it, I think we find ourselves on the wrong side of science, and therefore, in a losing position.’
On whether he would trust a President Bachmann after characterizing her stand against the debt-ceiling deal as a ‘crash and burn’ approach: ‘Well, I wouldn’t necessarily trust any of my opponents right now, who were on the recent debate stage with me, when every single one would have allowed this country to default. ... So I have to say there was zero leadership on display in terms of my opponents.’
On Perry’s comments about Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke’s efforts to ‘print more money’ as ‘almost treasonous’: ‘I’m not sure that the average voter out there is going to hear that treasonous remark and say that sounds like a presidential candidate, that sounds like someone who is serious on the issues.’
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-- Kate O’Hare
Media critic Kate O’Hare is a regular Ticket contributor. She also blogs about TV at Hot Cuppa TV and is a frequent contributor at entertainment news site Zap2it. Also follow O’Hare on Twitter @KateOH.
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