TIME talked to former ambassador to China and Republican presidential hopeful Jon Huntsman for a profile running in the May 23, 2011, issue of the magazine. Lightly edited excerpts from three separate interviews with Huntsman follow:
jon huntsman
Seven Days in May: How One Week Clarified the GOP Field
So here’s what we know for certain today that we could only bet on last Monday morning: Mike Huckabee is out. Newt Gingrich is officially in. Jon Huntsman finally broke cover. And Ron Paul is back.
And just like that, the …
Jon Huntsman’s Coming Out Party
Jon Huntsman, it seems, knows how to make an entrance. He has timed his resignation as U.S. ambassador to China to coincide with the biggest social event on Washington D.C.’s political-media-entertainment calender, Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. For the first time since August of 2009, he will be freed from …
Don’t Believe The Hype: The GOP Primary Field Is Not Disappointing
Just how bad is it for Republicans? Multiple choice: A) 76% of Republicans are dissatisfied with their choices for President, says Zogby. B) Only 40% of Republicans are satisfied with their choices, says CBS News. Or C) Just 52% of Republicans are satisfied, says Newsweek.
Answer: None of the above.
On Global Warming, No Clear Skies For Most 2012 GOP Contenders
When news broke of Jon Huntsman’s serious consideration of a run for president last month, several conservative pundits, including the Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin, dismissed the former Utah governor’s chances by pointing to his moderate record on global warming, which they predicted would play poorly among the GOP’s conservative …
Nevermind Tim Pawlenty’s Announcement Of A Future Announcement, Let’s Look At The 2012 GOP Maps
At 3 p.m. today, anyone with a working Facebook account can get exclusive access to an announcement that has already been announced, setting the stage for further announcements about Tim Pawlenty’s desire to be President of the United States. Such is the absurdity of modern presidential politics that candidates create news events out of …
Jon Hunstman And The 2012 Theory of Moderation
We are in a new age, though no one knows yet just how long it will last or what it all means. Republicans and Democrats sat together during the State of the Union. Barack Obama and Mitch McConnell worked together on a major tax bill. Keith Olbermann is gone from MSNBC. Michele Bachmann has been cast into the outer rings of awkward …