Obama Appointed Jon Huntsman Abassador to China to Neutralize Him as a 2012 Presidential Threat; Strategy Might Backfire

The Obama administration thought it had disposed of Jon Huntsman by sending him off to serve as Ambassador of China. But now Huntsman is coming back and he's ready for a Presidential run in 2012. Obama's Huntsman strategy might seriously backfire.

President Obama nominated Jon Hunstman, Jr. to serve as U.S. Ambassador to China on May 16, 2009. On August 7, 2009 the nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and on August 11, 2009 Huntsman was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to China. Then, on January 31, 2011, he submitted his resignation to the Obama administration. [Jon Huntsman, Jr. - Wikipedia. Downloaded 2/1/11 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Jr.]

The obvious implication of Jon Huntsman's resignation as U.S. Ambassador to China is that he intends to run for President. He has extensive experience in China (and he speaks Chinese fluently), which could be a huge asset to him in the 2012 Presidential race, now that China is the undisputed number one international affairs issue for the U.S. But why did Obama put Huntsman in this position to begin with?

According to the Wall Street Journal, when the Obama administration nominated Jon Huntsman to serve as Ambassador to China, it thought it was neutralizing a potential threat in the 2012 Presidential race. With Huntsman off in China, they reasoned, he could not effectively prepare for a 2012 campaign. [Source: King, Neil, Jr. "U.S. Ambassador to China Plans Exit," Wall Street Journal, 2/1/11. Downloaded from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704254304576116713501632254.html]

But Obama's strategy for getting rid of Jon Hunstman is about to backfire on him in a big way. Huntsman is stepping down from his China ambassadorship in plenty of time to gear up for a 2012 run. And his two-year stint as ambassador seriously bolsters his international policy credibility. Previously, his political experience had been mostly domestic (i.e., a post in the Reagan Administration and two terms as Governor of Utah), although he had also served as ambassador to Singapore. [Source: Jon Huntsman, Jr. - Wikipedia. Downloaded 2/1/11 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Jr.]

While Obama had a strategy in sending Huntsman to China, it appears that Jon Huntsman had a strategy, too. If he makes it to the general election in 2012 (i.e., if he survives the Republican primaries), then he will be a serious threat to Obama. The incumbent President Barack Obama will not be able to criticize Huntsman's leadership abilities or knowledge of international affairs because Obama himself appointed Huntsman as Ambassador to China (i.e., any attack on Huntsman's competence would be an admission that Obama was careless in appointing Huntsman to his foreign post).

This does not mean that Huntsman will beat Obama in 2012, but there is no question that Obama's strategy of sending Jon Huntsman off to an ambassadorship in China could really backfire in the next election cycle.

Sources

King, Neil, Jr. "U.S. Ambassador to China Plans Exit," Wall Street Journal, 2/1/11. Downloaded from: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704254304576116713501632254.html

Jon Huntsman, Jr. - Wikipedia. Downloaded 2/1/11 from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Huntsman,_Jr.