
Words are cheap, Jon.
With the backing of his billionaire dad, Huntsman has the financial wherewithal to mount a third-party run. The Americans Elect group, which dropped plans for an online convention in June, has ballot access in 30 states, including California, Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Colorado and Maryland. Those states combine for more than the 270 electoral votes needed to take the White House. The AE ballot is Huntsman’s for the asking. He should go for it.
Huntsman could mount a “campaign of ideas” similar to what former Republican Congressman John Anderson did in 1980. Anderson challenged George Bush and Ronald Reagan for the GOP line, and then ran as an independent because he felt Reagan was too conservative. He took votes from Jimmy Carter and Reagan equally.
If Huntsman is sincere about elevating the level of political debate from birth certificates and vampire capitalism, he should go the route of Anderson. Huntsman was the guy most feared by the Obama administration, which sent him packing to China as U.S. ambassador. He should get back into the game by retracting his tepid endorsement of Romney.
What’s the alternative? Is it Mayor of New York? That isn’t going to happen, Jon.