Jon Huntsman and Mitt Romney

So Jon Huntsman Jr. has decided to drop out of the race. Meanwhile Mitt Romney is quietly running perhaps the most clinically effective campaign in history. Of the 92 Members of Congress who have endorsed any candidate - 63 endorsed Romney. Rick Perry is a distant 2nd with just 13. Romney has extensive state organizations in every state and a very healthy campaign war chest. This guy will have the nomination basically sewed up by February 1st.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jon Huntsman Jr. dropped out yesterday because Romney's people put pressure on Jon Huntsman Sr. to have his son stop his fantasy campaign and face up to the real-world realities that no member of the Huntsman clan would ever be welcome in a Romney administration if he kept it up. Call it quits before the Monday debate and endorse Romney or else. The message clearly got across.

People will keep underestimating the Romney campaign. Right up to and even past the point where he is sworn in as the 45th President of the United States.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

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Jon Huntsman vs Mitt Romney

While watching the past two Republican candidate debates - I've kept waiting for either Rick Perry or more especially Mitt Romney to smack Jon Huntsman down. The former Governor of Utah likes to pipe in with the line "well when I was governor Utah was first in the nation in job growth." I really want the Mormon on Mormon crime of Romney replying with, "Jon - I know many of the venture capitalists who were responsible for those jobs and you being Governor never even entered into the equation. The BYU School of Business was a much bigger factor in creating those jobs than you ever was. You really should stop trying to take credit for other people's accomplishments."

Then have Perry chime in, "Yeah and how big is Utah anyway? Three million? That would make a nice Congressional District in Texas."

This won't happen and it bothered me until I figured out why. The Republican Party is probably afraid of offending Jon Huntsman - not the guy running for President but his father - John Huntsman, Sr.

Jon Huntsman, Sr. is one of the richest men in the country and he's like the Joe Kennedy of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. No wonder Mitt Romney has been so nice to his son. Don't be surprised if either Romney or Perry end up giving Huntsman a cabinet position down the road to keep the old man happy.