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SALT LAKE CITY -- Vice president to Mitt Romney or Michelle Bachman?
Utah's ex-governor was asked about those possibilities in a nationally televised interview that capped Jon Huntsman's most prominent time in the spotlight in the race so far.
Huntsman seemed to capitalize on a pair of lengthy interviews, first on ABC and then last night on CNN, positioning himself in the "center right" of the political spectrum and as a candidate willing to tell hard truths.
It was a breakout week for Huntsman, who gathered national coverage on several fronts. After Texas governor Rick Perry made comments questioning climate science, Huntsman sent out a tweet saying,
"To be clear. I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy."
You know if you love this country, you serve this country.
–- Jon Huntsman
Huntsman then came out swinging in an interview on the ABC News program This Week, characterizing other republican candidates as out of touch. Then last night on CNN, he looked to contrast himself from Mitt Romney on jobs and the economy.
"Being #47 as job creator ain't going to cut it," Husntsman said, referring to Romney's tenure as governor.
"We were number one in job creation. I think that works. Creating Obamacare before Obama, the most despised and reviled health care legislation in the history of this country, doesn't cut it. And I think that will be terribly problematic."
He was also asked about running with someone else topping the ticket, specifically a tea party candidate like Michelle Bachmann.
"You know if you love this country, you serve this country," was his response.
Tim Chambless, professor of Political Scientist at the University of Utah, said That Huntsman is aiming to contrast himself with more hardline conservatives, but the question is whether he has a constituency in his own party.
"Well, it's a very good question. Jon huntsman's numbers are still in the single digits," said Chambless. "He's been positioning himself as the moderate, the centrist."
Sunday on This Week, Huntsman sharply criticized Bachmann for claiming she could bring gasoline prices below $2 if elected president, saying the idea is not from "the real world."
