Welcome to your Tuesday open thread. So, what’s on your mind today? Are you dreading the snow/ice/rain/ice/rain we have coming? This winter has seemed really long and it’s only the beginning of February!
Just place this next story in the WTF! file. Obama-appointed ambassador to China Jon Huntsman is resigning his position to run for the GOP presidential nomination?
First came the rumors that President Obama’s Ambassador to China, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman (R), was planning to resign (and maybe run for president.) Then came White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs’ confirmation that Huntsman was on the way out (to maybe run for president.) Now comes news that Huntsman has officially tendered his resignation and plans to return to the US by May, which gives him plenty of time to…well, you know.
Politico‘s Mike Allen reports Huntsman has tendered his resignation from the embassy in China effective this spring, giving him a little over half a year to scale up a presidential campaign — should he so choose — by the time of the first nominating contests early next year.
In his letter, Huntsman reportedly “thanks Obama for the opportunity to serve the country and praises the U.S. embassy staff in Beijing.” Obama has praised Huntsman’s tenure as ambassador, though Allen reports behind the scenes White House officials “are furious at what they consider an audacious betrayal.”
I suppose Huntsman could believe that Romney’s campaign might fall apart and he’ll be well-placed to take his spot as “moderate” Republican. Why would he think RomneyCare will sink Romney, but serving in Obama’s administration won’t sink him? Call me skeptical about this story.
Daily Kos has a new polling partner with Public Policy Polling and have brought back their “state of the nation” polls. This latest one found something really interesting:
Finally, let’s take a look at the intensity gap:
Are you very excited, somewhat excited, or not at all excited about voting in the 2012 election for President?
Dems
Very excited: 65 (57)
Somewhat excited: 23 (28)
Not excited: 12 (16)Republicans
Very excited: 56 (62)
Somewhat excited: 27 (20)
Not excited: 17 (18)Yup. There’s an intensity gap, alright. But this time, it’s the Republicans on the wrong side of it.
Is this a reflection of the relatively weak Republican field for 2012? We’ll have to keep watching this to see if this trend continues.