Wednesday, November 27, 2024
28.0°F

Candidate has the right stuff

by Bob Brown
| December 28, 2011 8:04 AM

The New Hampshire primary has produced dramatic political upsets, and 2012 could be the year of another one. Mitt Romney has been leading the pack there for many months, but some polls show him slipping. Lesser-known former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman is moving up, and probably at the expense of Romney.

If Romney stumbles in New Hampshire, the contest for the Republican presidential nomination could be a long one, not settled until the last states, including Montana, vote in June.

The immediate beneficiary of a Romney defeat in New Hampshire would be his principal rival, the pompously pontifical former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. If Gingrich triumphs in New Hampshire because of Huntsman, it will likely be the first time an air bag ever got saved by a person. The long-term result, however, might be the triumph of underdog Huntsman, as the rational alternative to lip-shooting Newt.

Who, you ask, is Huntsman? He is the steady, experienced and highly capable former Governor of Utah. He has served four presidents, beginning with Reagan, and in the current administration in the vitally important post of ambassador to China. The relationship between our country and China is the most significant one of this century. Our debt to China and our overall relationship with that country will largely determine the survival of the United States as a great nation. No public figure in either party has a better understanding of China than Huntsman.

The national debt, of course, dwarfs all others as a threat to our survival. Huntsman has a solid record of creating jobs while keeping debt in check as a governor. He's a no-nonsense problem-solver, not a panderer. As proof, he alone among Republican presidential contenders refused to take the no-tax pledge.

Getting out of our debt predicament will require deep spending cuts as well as tax increases. Most Americans realize this and are prepared to accept it if the cuts and increases are imposed thoughtfully and fairly. By not being bound by the pandering "pledge," Huntsman is the only Republican in a position to realistically deal with the looming catastrophic debt.

Our recent leaders have let us down. At an extremely critical time, we have had two disappointing presidents. Bush II was bold and decisive but failed to understand the consequences of his decisions. Our debt soared under his mismanagement, and we will be paying for his foreign entanglements in various ways for decades.

Realizing the need for change, the country elected President Obama, who promised it in his uplifting rhetoric. Sadly, as the debt explodes, unemployment remains high and opinion polls show over 70 percent of Americans believe our country is on the "wrong track," Obama projects weakness and indecision.

While he has faced poisonous criticism from radio ruffians, and sometimes unreasonable opposition in Congress, he seems more interested in playing the blame game to keep his job than in engaging in the heavy lifting that comes with doing his job. He remains a gifted communicator, but he has not used his gift to unify the country behind understandable goals. Not only has he not been an effective leader, he has not even been a good cheerleader.

We need change more urgently now than when the country voted for it in 2008. Will realism and knowledge where it counts ultimately win out in the primary process? Given enough time, hopefully so with Huntsman. "Long Shot Jon" Huntsman represents our country's best shot for competent, effective leadership. He may be our last best shot.

Bob Brown is a former Montana Secretary of State and State Senate President.