Republican Presidential Candidate Jon Huntsman channeled his inner David Plouffe this Sunday and sharpened his attack on GOP rival Mitt Romney.
"I think when you’re on too many sides of the issues of the day, when you don’t have that core, when there’s that element of trust out there, I think that becomes a problem and I think it makes you unelectable against Barack Obama," Huntsman asserted.
Also, fallout from the Herman Cain's sexual harassment allegations are dominating this news cycle. The former Godfather's Pizza CEO is trying to move the conversation forward and divert attention away from the charges which stem from his time at the helm of the National Restaurant Association in the late 1990’s. Governor Haley Barbour (R-MS) told me this morning that he doesn't think the controversy is fatal to Cain's campaign, however, he believes that in order to move past the issue, Mr. Cain needs to put all the facts out there.
"Bad news is not like fine wine: It doesn't improve with age." Barbour quipped, "I think what he wants to do is get back on message, and the way to do that is get all the facts on the table, get it behind him."
A spirited conversation on our roundtable as well breaking down the Cain allegations and whether or not the issue will hurt his candidacy. The Cain campaign has said that fund raising skyrocketed in the last week and their strategy of demonizing the media could be effective. As GOP strategist Alex Castellanos put it, their plan is to "Make this a choice, not a referendum on Herman Cain. And the other choice is the news media." He added, "Is it working? You bet"
One news organization on the receiving end of the Cain campaign's jabs is Politico. I was joined on our roundtable by Senior Political Reporter for Politico, Maggie Haberman who weighed in on the campaign's strategy.
"I think that it has served them well this week. I think that's how he's gotten around some conflicting answers about what's happened." However, she cautioned, "I don't know that he's going to be able to not answer questions, or at least not get asked them anymore."
Watch our entire broadcast on our website, including a Take Two discussion with host of MSNBC's Hardball and author of the new book Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero, Chris Matthews.
As we have for 64 years, we'll be back next week. If it's Sunday, it's Meet The Press.
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As a Republican, I have been disappointed in the field of candidates seeking to take on a vulnerable President Obama. But I may have found someone I can support. I don't know why I have overlooked Jon Huntsman; perhaps it was his low "numbers". But he seems articulate and has a good sense of where he stands on the issues. He has "executive office" experience as well as international relations experience. His centrist approach, in my belief, makes him electable, as well. The time from now until New Hampshire will determine whether he can improve his "numbers" well enough to be the one who has a reasonable chance to beat the incumbent. His appearance on "Meet the Press" this morning may have been a good start for him.
Huntsman can win and when we look at getting back to winning the White House, the Republican choice is simple. Jon Huntsman is someone AMERICA can be proud of. He is intelligent, articulate and has the understanding of China we need. He is indeed moderate on many social issues that make him MORE ELECTABLE in the general election (and the guy is cool). He has a great deal of the Ronald Reagan appeal. More interviews like this certainly won't hurt his chances in a changing Republican landscape.
As I have said before, while the corrupted Washington Politics and Untruthful Presidential Debates, including the "Devil In The Find Print," weak human soundwaves hitting the floor, Donald Trump, an All American employer, businessman, and a smart man is watching the norm of media and half truth with no guts nor glory of typical and acceptable actions of imperfect humans bounded by a dysfunctional American Society. The Truth always win. But not necessarily the "Devil in the Fine Print."
Do away with politics......period.
Jon, we, the 99% American People, completely agree with you, Etch-a-Sketch can't be trusted, he's nothing more than the CORPORATES' puppet and we don't like him or want him! Anybody with his shabby credentials needs to be ignored completely. He's a waste to society, there is ONLY HIM that he is worried about!
Jon, steer away from the corporates yourself and we might be iterested in hiring you!
What we, the 99% American People want is to be able to SELECT who we want to run for President, NOT WHO CORPORATE put up for us to vote on! That's given the FOX the guard over the CHICKEN COUP! And take a close look @ what 8 yrs. of Corporate government rule has done to our country! And we're heading for worse; ALL BROUGHT ON BY CORRUPT CORPORATE GREED!
Enough is enough! It's time for change, and that time is NOW! Not later, but right NOW!!!
President Obama better stay out of the Trayvon issue or the wonderful Republican corporate political hypocrites will eat him alive! He should insist that the truth be brought out, but that's all! The authorities in charge have that responsibility and should take care of business WITHOUT INTERFERENCE FROM OUR GREEDY CORPORATE PRESS MEDIA! Make them keep their damn noses out of it until the porblem is resolved! All the MEDIA does is amplify an already volatile situation brought on by their zealous reporting!