Was Huntsman Forced to Endorse Romney?

Huntsman's lackluster support of Romney in this video where he discusses a Third Party speaks volumes.  His interview has dropped like a bomb on this campaign.  He had a lot of um's when he was asked about his supporting Romney if a 3rd Party candidate emerged.  They also pointed out he endorsed Romney but is not a surrogate.  Very interesting interview with Jon Huntsman and is saying a lot about the Republican Party that a lot of us have been thinking.  He is right that more and more people are becoming part of the non-party affiliated electorate.

Watch this video and ask yourself how long the Republican Party can survive with the direction this Presidential campaign is headed.

Huntsman calls for third party, says GOP '12 field lacks big ideas
By Justin Sink - 02/23/12 09:03 AM ET 

Jon Huntsman called for the rise of a third party on Thursday as he argued the remaining GOP presidential candidates lack big ideas. 

The comments from the former Utah governor, who dropped out of the race in January after a disappointing showing in New Hampshire’s primary, were striking given his support for Mitt Romney, one of the four remaining GOP candidates for president. 

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"Gone are the days when the Republican Party used to put forward big, bold, visionary stuff," Huntsman said during an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” 

"I see zero evidence of people getting out there and addressing the economic deficit — which is a national-security problem, for heaven's sake," he said. “I think we're going to have problems politically until we get some sort of third-party movement or some alternative voice out there that can put forward new ideas." 

Huntsman, who also bemoaned Wednesday's GOP debate as "wasting time," quickly added that he had no interest in running as a third-party candidate. 

"That ain't gonna be me, by the way; I know the next question. I'm not interested in that," he said. 

Huntsman and Romney both hail from Utah and are longtime rivals with a cool relationship. 

During his campaign, Huntsman frequently criticized and even mocked Romney. 

Still, the comments on Wednesday, coming about a month after Huntsman decided to endorse Romney, were striking. 

Huntsman was pressed by the panel on "Morning Joe" as to whether he was rethinking that endorsement or was dissatisfied with his candidate's performance. 

The former Utah governor emphasized that while he still thinks "Mitt Romney's the best person" to handle the current economic crisis, he was "not a surrogate for anyone" and was unimpressed by the stances of all the candidates. 

"Listen, until someone comes out that we're going to sweep-clean the tax code, until we have the opportunity for a manufacturing renaissance ... I'm a little disappointed that the big, bold, visionary stuff that the Republican Party is famous for is not on display for people to see," Huntsman said. 

In addition to calling for a third party, Huntsman endorsed campaign finance reform and term limits, saying both would be healthy for a democracy mired in the two-party system.
He also argued that Republicans had made a tactical mistake in embracing a culture-war argument over birth-control mandates. 

"Not only is it a waste of airtime, but it's a political loser, because of the impact it has on the demographic you're describing," Huntsman said to MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, who had just discussed conservative women in his life who were upset with the party over the issue.
Of his own presidential effort, Huntsman said he ultimately fell short because of an unwillingness to pander. 

"I didn't pander, and if you're not willing to pander early enough in the game … you don't raise enough money. You don't raise enough money, you don't get the big momentum," Huntsman said. 

The former ambassador to China also said Republican voters never forgave him for working in the Obama administration. 

"I think people held against me that I crossed a partisan line in serving this president," Huntsman said. 

Source:  The Hill

Can an Independent be elected this time?  Mark McKinnon from Morning Joe thinks they can as there are more registered independents then Republicans or Democrats.  The two major political parties are quickly turning off voters so is it time to have a viable 3rd party?  The way this Republican Primary is going, we would say that is a real possibility.

As a long time Republican, I am one of those who have had it the way this primary has been run by the RNC on behalf of the Republican Rockefeller wing of the party aka establishment.  Stay tuned for how this shakes out!