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SALT LAKE CITY -- Utah's former governor and current presidential candidate Jon Huntsman is campaigning in South Carolina amid sharp criticism from a top Democrat there.
Here's a guy who had his lips firmly planted on the president's butt three months ago and now is speaking ill out of 'em.
–Dick Harpootlian, SC Democratic Party
Huntsman is in the middle of a two-day stint to drum up GOP support in South Carolina.
Dick Harpootlian, chairman of the Democratic Party in South Carolina, told Politico, "Here's a guy who had his lips firmly planted on the president's butt three months ago and now is speaking ill out of 'em, out of those same lips."
Harpootlian went on to say, "Can you trust a guy who turns this quickly? He is somebody who apparently will say whatever it takes to get elected."
In response, the head of Huntsman's bid in South Carolina, Joel Sawyer, told USA Today, "It's unfortunate that Democrats would belittle this service using childish phrases."
It's unfortunate that Democrats would belittle this service using childish phrases.
–Joel Sawyer, Huntsman campaign
That campaigner equates the rhetoric to an attempt by Democrats to divert from the real issues.
Huntsman's messages have seemed to resonate well in the South so far as he gets to know voters.
Ashley Intartaglia, president of Tampa Bay Young Republicans in Florida told KSL last weekend, "I haven't settled on anybody yet. But I think he's an interesting person in the mix."
One political analyst KSL talked to recently said this harsh criticism of Huntsman from the left is simply a sign Democrats view him as a threat.
Huntsman takes aim at Romney
While in South Carolina, Huntsman criticized rival Mitt Romney for his record on job creation while Massachusetts governor.
Huntsman has pledged to run a civil campaign. But he's telling South Carolina voters that it is fair game to begin comparing records of his Republican opponents. That includes Romney, the front-runner for the GOP nomination.
Huntsman told voters on Monday at a packed barbecue restaurant that he did better than Romney while governor, saying that Utah ranked first in job creation while Massachusetts was 47th.
Romney's campaign is countering, saying that the Massachusetts governor knows more about real-world job creation and cutting joblessness.
Written by Andrew Adams and The Associated Press. (Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
