‘Political Intelligence’ political potpourri
Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman is racheting up the rhetoric against fellow Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney.
During a speech yesterday in South Carolina, Huntsman touted his job creation record while governor by contrasting it with that of Romney, who served as governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007.
Romney’s record can under scrutiny in a Los Angeles Times story noting that while he was governor, Massachusetts had the 47th worst job creation record in the country. Now, Romney is making his potential for job creation the central element of his pitch to replace President Obama.
“When you look at absolute increases in job creation, Utah led the way in United States in terms of job creation,’’ Huntsman said. “That compared and contrasted with certain other states like say, Massachusetts that I’ll just pull out randomly; not first, but 47th.’’
In the Times piece, the Romney camp noted he entered office confronting a budget crisis. He not only addressed it, but the 5.6 percent unemployment rate in effect when he started as governor fell to 4.7 percent by the time he left.
(The national rate is now 9.2 percent, though in Massachusetts it is 7.6 percent.)
By contrast, the unemployment rate in Utah rose from 4.5 percent in 2005, when Huntsman took office, to 7.4 percent in August 2009, when he resigned to become US ambassador to China.
Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul credited her boss with creating 50,000 jobs as governor and added in a statement to the Globe, “In four years as governor of one state, Mitt Romney created more net jobs than President Obama has as president.’’
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Huntsman, meanwhile, appears likely to be dogged by spelling issues the rest of his campaign.
On the day he formally launched his campaign, credentials initially passed out to the media spelled his name with an “h,’’ as in “John.’’
When someone pointed out the mistake, distribution ceased.
Yesterday, motorcross motorcycle rider Travis Pastrana ran into the same problem as he tweeted his support for Huntsman, an avid cyclist whose opening campaign movie showed him riding a dirt bike across the western landscape.
“Not one 4 politics, but John Huntsman, fellow MX rider, good friend of nitro & the smartest man I know, is running 4 President. Look him up,’’ Pastrana wrote.
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Romney has been sticking to his plan of campaigning quietly, but building a big financial stick.
The Wall Street Journal noted today that Romney has largely been AWOL from the national debate over the debt talks taking place between the man he wants to replace, President Obama, and congressional Republicans.
But Romney’s strategy has been to run his own campaign, and this week that means a series of public appearances on Thursday in New Hampshire, his political stronghold and the linchpin to his early primary strategy.
And outside the spotlight, he has been busy, as well.
The Oregonian in Portland, Ore., noted last night that Romney had slipped in and out of town for a fund-raiser.
Romney then popped up the West Coast to Seattle for another low-key affair, the Post-Intelligencer reported.
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Romney’s fellow Republican, US Senator Scott Brown, is celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary today.
He and his wife, former WCVB-TV reporter Gail Huff, are planning on “enjoying dinner this evening in DC to celebrate,’’ said spokeswoman Marcie Kinzel.
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Later this week, Brown is heading to Chicago for a fund-raiser hosted by the College Young Republicans.
Members of the group can get in for $50, but other donors can pay $250 for “Hit’’ level treatment, while those coughing up $1,000 receive “Grand Slam’’ benefits, according to the invitation.
How long until the Massachusetts Democratic Party complains that Brown can go to Chicago for a fund-raiser, but not to Newton for a town hall meeting?
You know it’s coming.
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Helmut Ernst sounded off about the Big Dig falling-light episode over the weekend, stating that he and his fellow engineers are not loathe to put their safety concerns in writing, for fear of fueling accident lawsuits.
He also went against the decision of his boss, Transportation Secretary Jeffrey Mullan, when he said no one should have been fired over the episode. Mullan forced out former highway Administrator Frank Tramonotozzi.
Asked about all this yesterday, Governor Deval Patrick made comments that could portend trouble for Ernst when he returns from vacation and meets with Mullan.
“I’m concerned about any of those kinds of comments,’’ the governor said yesterday afternoon. “Were very clear that the policy is a policy of candor with the public and prompt response, as I said before, voluminous documentation of what the issues are and what the response has been, and it is very concerning that the chief engineer, who is supposed to set a tone over there, makes the kinds of comments that he is reported to have said. But as I said before, I want to give him a chance to tell us whether he believes he was misquoted or quoted out of context.’’
An administration spokesman said Ernst is due back from vacation next Monday.
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