“Leave out the name,” says Allan Lichtman, a presidential historian at American University in Washington, D.C. “Can you even conceive of a Republican presidential nominee with the following résumé: worked for Barack Obama, was an envoy to China, of all countries, favors civil unions, favors action on global warming, once said he was comfortable with a mandate on health care – and is Mormon?” he asks. “You have an impossible nominee.”
Among Huntsman’s biggest offenses is his connection to Obama, who didn’t help matters when he heaped praise on his envoy. “I’m sure that him having worked so well with me will be a great asset in any Republican primary,” the president said, smiling broadly. It was called “the death hug.”
As a Mormon, Huntsman will also be hard-pressed to capture the evangelical vote. And with low name recognition, he may struggle to get any votes. “He has a bigger name ID problem than Tim Pawlenty,” says O’Connell.
And the “moderate” tag, commentators point out, doesn’t help.
