Huntsman surprised by his crowds

Republican presidential candidate, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman

/ Getty Images/Alex Wong

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Republican presidential candidate Jon Huntsman finally stepped outside his comfort zone this week - and was pleasantly surprised.

As he campaigns outside of New Hampshire for the first time, the former Utah governor says he's pleased by the reception he is getting in socially conservative South Carolina. "Our events have been larger than I would have expected, and that's gratifying," he told reporters following a crowded town hall meeting at the Honeycomb Cafe.

"And I think we've gone from margin-of-error, that's where we were in New Hampshire, to what is a respectable early number. And it gives me hope that maybe something can come of all this."

Until now, Huntsman had campaigned almost exclusively in New Hampshire, where he staked his bid on a good showing in that state's first-in-the-nation primary Tuesday. Huntsman came in third, behind front-runner Mitt Romney and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas, but by getting 17 percent of the vote, he did better than pre-primary polls had indicated he would do.

On Wednesday, Huntsman said that his expectations in the Palmetto State would be "very low" compared to what they were in New Hampshire. His support in South Carolina is only in single digits, according to recent polls.

But he has been drawing standing-room-only crowds at most of his campaign stops, albeit in small venues. Over 200 people turned out to hear him speak Wednesday at the University of South Carolina in Columbia. Key lines in his stump speeches that fell flat in New Hampshire are being met with laughter and applause in South Carolina.

Like other Romney rivals campaigning in South Carolina, Huntsman is also attacking the former Massachusetts governor on the stump, although unlike the others, he has not gone after him for his work in mergers and acquisitions when he ran Bain Capital in the 1980s. Rather, Huntsman is criticizing Romney for the health care plan he signed into law in Massachusetts, a precursor to President Obama's plan, and for his comment this week that he "likes firing people" who give him poor service, such as shoddy health insurance plans.

"When you have a candidate who talks about the enjoyment of firing people, who talks about pink slips, who makes comments that seem to be so detached from the problems that Americans are facing today, that makes you pretty much unelectable," Huntsman said. "And I say we want a nominee who can actually go on to win. That's the issue. It's not the kinds of transactions that Bain is responsible for."

[slownewsday2012]

Huntsman would get my support if he dropped HIS support for Israel.

All Israel does is make the US more of a terrorist target, by making it appear we support their criminal actions.

[kansas1946]

I'm not. He is the best candidate the Republicans have.

[lloydbest1]

""When you have a candidate who talks about the enjoyment of firing people, who talks about pink slips, who makes comments that seem to be so detached from the problems that Americans are facing today, that makes you pretty much unelectable," Huntsman said. "And I say we want a nominee who can actually go on to win. That's the issue. It's not the kinds of transactions that Bain is responsible for.""

Mr. Huntsman's point about Romney enjoying firing people who give poor service is a valid one. Firing an incompetent is O.K. Relishing it and taking as much pleasure in the "power over" aspects as Romney does merely demonstrates pettiness and a sadistic streak that reflects a shoot from the hip and worry about the mess later mentality we don't want in a president.

But Huntsman skrewed it up when he dismissed the Bain transactions. All that shady shi- er, ah...yoghurt is exactly the kind of thing we SHOULD focus on and root out of our public servants as thoroughly as possible.

[franknkissy]

Like Mitt Romney - We too would enjoy firing those social service workers or government bureaucrats or private contractors or businessmen who supposedly serving us - actually lord it over us ! Unlike this Huntsman who takes the side of the bosses over the private citizen who expects that his money should enable him to have some say in a transaction ! Romney believes that the customer is always right ! Apparently Huntsman believes the bureaucrat or insurance agent or business representative is so right that the citizen has not the right to fire the incompetent S.O.B.

[NewtsArmy]

Are you supporting a moderate GOP candidates like Romney. Don't forget the last moderate Republican by the name of W Bush who brought us Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr, the father of TARP. Newt-2012

[slownewsday2012]

Newt? Not a chance. He contributes to an evil church which molests kids.

[14FREEK]

Ron Paul was surprized by his crowds in New Hampshire also. It is a sign that people are not happy with their government and they are giving everybody every oppotunity to share their views for consideration.

I love my country; it is the government I am not crazy about. SOUND FAMILIAR?