Jon Huntsman aims to make inroads in N.H.
One of the presidential candidates you haven't heard as much about is Jon Huntsman, the former governor of Utah. Huntsman is polling in single digits. In fact he's tied for fourth. But he's making a big run in New Hampshire. CBS News Bill Whitaker in New Hampshire caught up with the man who's adding campaign stops as fast as he can.
Jon Huntsman skipped Iowa to woo the voters of New Hampshire. He's campaigned here almost non-stop since June. Still he admits this at a public meeting: "I am the underdog in this race."
"Is New Hampshire make or break for your campaign?" Whitaker asked Huntsman in a sit-down interview.
"We have to do well. We have to do well in New Hampshire."
In this high-visibility race, the 51-year-old Huntsman has flown under the radar, despite his impressive resume. He's the chopper-riding, popular two-term governor of Utah with a picture perfect family; was CEO of his family's chemical company; and served four presidents: Ronald Regan and both presidents Bush. He was also ambassador to China under President Obama -- an unforgivable sin to some Republicans.
"If you're asked to serve your country by the president of the United States, you do it," he once said. "You put your country first and that's a philosophy I will take to my grave."
His economic plan -- a streamlined tax code that eliminates all deductions and lowers all rates -- has been deemed best of the campaign by The Wall Street Journal.
Unlike most of the GOP field, Huntsman believes humans contribute to climate change.
"I defer to science on this particular issue," he said at a meeting.
He shares the Mormon faith with frontrunner, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, but little else.
"I haven't been on three sides on all the issues of the day," Huntsman had said. "I ran a state that was number one in job creation as opposed to number 47."
In the CBS interview, Whitaker said to Huntsman: "You've also called yourself the sane Republican."
"My management style has always been to look realistically at issues," Huntsman explained. "I don't pander, I don't do pledges. I look at the issues and say, 'What does it mean to the people I represent?'"
At a town hall meeting, Huntsman told the crowd, "Here's the rap against Huntsman: 'Everybody says he can win the general election, but can he do well in the primaries?' I say we're gonna prove that point right here in New Hampshire!"
Gov. Huntsman will be in New Hampshire for another town hall meeting. If he can't push through here in New Hampshire, it's doubtful he can anywhere. So he's working hard to be a contender, one handshake at a time.
