Huntsman embraces N.H. tradition, plows into rivals
HOPKINTON, N.H. – Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman made it clear with the first sentence of his town hall meeting why he was not onstage tonight with his rivals at the presidential debate in Nevada: “May I say ladies and gentlemen, that I believe in the New Hampshire primary.’’
Huntsman – along with Rick Santorum, Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain – is boycotting the Nevada caucuses after Nevada officials moved their nominating contest to Jan. 14, potentially forcing the New Hampshire primary into December. Huntsman alone boycotted tonight’s debate in Nevada, campaigning instead in New Hampshire.
An event at the Hopkinton Town Hall that coincided with the debate attracted more than 150 people – many concerned with the New Hampshire primary. Katherine Morrison, a web designer and independent voter from Epping, said she was deciding between Huntsman and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. Now, she’s leaning toward Huntsman, because Romney has declined so far to join the boycott.
“(Romney) puts on a Red Sox hat, says he’s a New Hampshire citizen, but he’s not supporting the primary process,’’ Morrison said. “If Romney’s going to claim he’s a New Englander, he should support the boycott.’’
Romney has a summer home in New Hampshire.
As his Republican rivals took the stage, Huntsman, who has participated in all the previous debates, wasted little time pillorying the debate. “I was offered an invitation to a game show tonight playing out in Las Vegas,’’ Huntsman said. “It’s called the presidential debate. There will be sound bites and there will be talking points and there will be buzzers.
“I’ve heard what happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas,’’ Huntsman said. “May I say that what happens in New Hampshire impacts the world.’’
Huntsman lobbed cross-continental jabs at his rivals. Of Cain, a businessman with a 9-9-9 tax plan and campaign mantra, Huntsman said he “will likely play the roulette wheel, and he’ll be focused on getting that ball on 9-9-9.’’ Of Romney, Huntsman said, “Romney will likely be staying at Trump Tower because he’s already won the apprenticeship for the presidency.’’ (Real estate mogul Donald Trump has met with Romney, but has not endorsed a candidate.)
Huntsman said Romney and Trump “together apparently can talk about how to create a trade war with China.’’ Romney has taken a tough line with China, saying he would use an executive order to name China a currency manipulator. Huntsman, a former ambassador to China, has said Romney’s policies could cause a trade war.
The former Utah governor focused most of his talk on the need to revive America’s ailing economy. Asked whether he would increase taxes on the wealthy, Huntsman said he would focus on improving the economy to provide jobs and educational opportunities. A tax on millionaires, he said, “is maybe 1 percent of the problem.’’ “I don’t want a 1 percent fix, I want real solutions, real fixes,’’ he said.
Huntsman returned often in his speech to paying homage to the special place the New Hampshire primary hold in election tradition. It “is the window through which the rest of the country views and gets to know the candidates for the presidency of the United States,’’ he said.
Huntsman has staked his candidacy on New Hampshire, pouring almost all his resources into the state.
In the New Hampshire primary, he said, there is no artificiality. “It’s the candidate and you,’’ he said. “That’s something very special. May it always be protected.’’
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