Jon Huntsman Blasts Rick Perry Over Evolution, Climate Change, Ben Bernanke Comments

WASHINGTON (AP/The Huffington Post) -- Presidential candidate Jon Huntsman is pounding away at rival Rick Perry's skepticism of manmade global warming and criticism of the nation's central banker, saying those stands hurt the GOP and make the Texas governor come off as a not so serious national figure.

Huntsman, a former Utah governor who was President Barack Obama's first ambassador to China, has trailed in early polls nationally and in early voting states, leading his campaign to pledge more aggressive attacks on the top candidates.

Perry, who entered the race last weekend and has surged to a prominent role, has provided Huntsman with an ample opening to take shots.

Perry said in New Hampshire this past week that he didn't believe in manmade global warming, branding it an unproven scientific theory. He also defended the teaching of creationism in schools because evolution "has some gaps to it."

Huntsman responded in a tweet, saying "To be clear, I believe in evolution and trust scientists on global warming. Call me crazy."

"When we take a position that isn't willing to embrace evolution, when we take a position that basically runs counter to what 98 of 100 climate scientists have said, what the National Academy of Science has said about what is causing climate change and man's contribution to it, I think we find ourselves on the wrong side of science, and, therefore, in a losing position," Huntsman told ABC's "This Week."

Huntsman said he couldn't remember a time when "we actually were willing to shun science and become a party that was antithetical to science. I'm not sure that's good for our future and it's not a winning formula," according to interview excerpts released Saturday ABC. The full interview is set to air Sunday.

Campaigning in Rock Hill, S.C., on Saturday, Perry didn't back down, saying he believes the Earth's temperature "has been moving up and down for millenniums now and there are enough scientists out there that are skeptical about the reasons for it."

Many conservatives question the evidence that shows climate change is happening and the government solutions to stem it.

Perry also took on the Federal Reserve and its chairman, Ben Bernanke, when he said the central bank's leader would be committing a "treasonous" act if he decided to "print more money to boost the economy." Such action, the governor told a crowd in Iowa, would amount to a political maneuver aimed at helping President Barack Obama win re-election.

Huntsman said he wasn't sure that "the average voter out there is going to hear that treasonous remark and say that sounds like a presidential candidate, that sounds like someone who is serious on the issues."

Perry said Saturday voters are worried about monetary policy. "I'm about representing the American people out here and the American people are really concerned and scared."

Trying to put Perry's broadside against Bernanke in context, Huntsman said "people are crying out for us to get back to some level of sensibility and this just kind of perpetuates the name-calling and the finger-pointing and the blame game where we want solutions."

"These sideshows," Huntsman said, take "us that much farther off the ball" from the focus of fixing the economy and creating jobs.

 

 

Comments

[truly moderate]

05:01 AM on 09/26/2011

The trends of recession in 2008 are repeating again here in 2011. I was rewatching the Fox debate and look at the google data for searches. The foreclosures, coupons, and gas ones are of concern.

Bush WRECKED the economy and handed over a poor economy to president Obama. This is demonstrated not just through economists but the google trends as well.

However, we are seeing a repeat of the trends during 2008 when the economy was crashing hard. It seemed to recovery somewhat and then flopped again.

I don't blame president Obama totally, but I can't help but to think he should take some blame for this, as should the tea publicans.

Maybe what we do need is a Huntsman in office. Just saying ;)

[elizabeth gerteiny]

04:26 PM on 08/27/2011

Finally, a Republican presidential candidate speaks out rationally. Although he flipflopped early on in his campaign, then kept a low profile, the former Utah governor and ambassador to China has come out of hiding to make a bold counter statement about his competitors' ignorant stands on global warming and evolution.

About Michele Bachmann's promise to bring gasoline prices down to $2 per gallon, Jon Huntsman told Piers Morgan, "We live in the real world. . .And gas prices just aren't going to rebound like that."

Yet almost immediately, he said he would be "the first person to sign up, absolutely" as Bachmann's running mate, though he emailed a friend that he looks forward to "increasing contrasts with my opponents."

As Bachmann's vice president, he would have to do her bidding, relinquishing his principles and beliefs. This sole logical and honorable Republican candidate seems, after all, just another waffling lip server.

Jon Isn't Short for Jonathan

Simply Jon, where have you been?
Never mind, long as you're in,
Heard above the mindless din,
You just might deserve to win.

Once again, let's hear your views,
That you'll honor, not abuse.
Whoops! You spoiled it when you said
That you'd run for veep instead,

Side by side with Ms. Michele,
Whose ideas we know so well.
Maybe you won't mind a bit
When we call you hypocrite. . .

just might deserve to win.

Elizabeth Gerteiny
Author of The President of War
www.bushandcompany.org

[globalguy]

05:01 PM on 08/23/2011

Huntsman is the real deal. As an Independent voter who went with Obama in 2008 I like his fiscal conservatism and his social liberalism. I can see why the Obama people wanted him tied up in China...

[truly moderate]

04:44 AM on 09/26/2011

Its his social moderacy and centrism on environmental issues that are getting him to poll so low. However, that tells me the GOP is still lost in haze of social conservatism and until it comes back to the moderacy of how it was in the 70s and again in the 90s and again in 2007, it will flounder and people won't take it seriously. If the GOP keeps this up, eventually the Huntsman's of the GOP will go indie or even dem.

[Frog in a pot]

03:26 AM on 08/23/2011

Too funny!!
The 2corporateMormons made their fortunes gutting the US economy and shipping jobs overseas.
Used to be calledTreason now its just good business,

The rest out right want a Pre-Enlightenment THEOCRACY!!

Wadda party.

[David DeSantis]

01:04 PM on 08/23/2011

Frog, I've realized we're talking to a bunch of incrementally-conditioned entitlement beggers.
People don't realize how dangerous entitlements are from a government. A government will never remain working for "the people" without checks and balances. It never has and never will. The government is now here (and a lot of people belive this is the reason for government) TO CONTROL US. So we have outrageous government spending, on failed domestic programs and foriegn policy. If anyone thinks America is better than it was in the 1800s, they are purely wrong. At this point today, we are living in a nation of the U.N. We no longer have a constitution, the SPINE of America. Time for thesde Huntsmann lovers to pick up the declaration of independence and read it.

[COMD]

07:47 PM on 09/13/2011

"If anyone thinks America is better than it was in the 1800's, they are purely wrong"... unless of course you were poor, black, or a woman. LOL! David DeSantis is the typical brain-dead right-winger who must learn his history from the same book as Bachmann.
Please David, explain to me how America was better for blacks in 1800? Explain how America was better for women? Explain how America was better for the poor?
"Outrageous government spending"... gotta love that quote. As if the U.S. had never had debt and raised taxes to pay it off. As if the "Father of Our Country" George Washington didn't raise taxes to pay off the national debt (and march an army bigger than the one he commanded in the Revolution to squash the Whiskey Rebellion) as the VERY 1st President of the U.S.
Please David, stop pretending to understand the collective minds of The Founding Fathers. They had many differing ideas about the role of government and freedom. For example, did you know that the writer of The Declaration of Independence owned slaves? Imagine that.

[james denton]

10:42 PM on 08/22/2011

huntsman attempt to appeal to the intelligent republican is falling on deaf ears

[mggwa]

02:20 PM on 08/23/2011

Yours?

[mediadeath]

05:56 PM on 08/23/2011

Not mine! I'm stoked!

[james denton]

06:15 PM on 08/23/2011

perhaps he can lead the gop back to genuine debate and away from their overtake by the john birch society

[teapot90]

08:49 PM on 08/22/2011

Huntsman won't make it as a GOP candidate. He is actually trying to be logical, and make sense. The modern Republican party strives to do neither. It is a belief system, and people who take a position that runs counter to their big-dollar donors (corporations and idiot billionaires) are quickly branded nonbelievers and tossed out. I hope he makes inroads as a message candidate before they destroy him, but that is unlikely too as Fox news will supply all the earplugs necessary.

[David DeSantis]

01:15 PM on 08/23/2011

He is actually "trying" to be logical, and make sense. LMAO! Great statement. To an educated American who knows the roots and history of this nation he needs to TRY a LOT harder.

There is only ONE (Ron Paul) candidate that need not try, for he has been sitting on his solid foundation since Reagans Administration.

We need not freedom "tryers." We need freedom "do-ers".

Global Warming - Proved as False as the Energy Crisis. We DO NOT approve of a Carbon (breathing or flatulence) Tax, thanks.
Evolution - Why is this in the discussion about our nation?
AND THE FEDERAL RESERVE - A massive european Ponsi scheme, Anyone who defends the FED is ignorant in their doings. Reseach Derivates and Credit Default Swaps. YOU might start understanding how the FED has made the economy plunder over and over, conditioning us for a new worldwide currency. If you think I am full of it, I'd suggest you do your research and stand up with us to defeat these Traitors to America. All your tax dollars that the Government pays goes Directly to the Federal Reserve for the Deficit. Hence, they are in turn, taking money out of your pocket and putting it in theirs, as they print more to steal from you.

[David DeSantis]

01:25 PM on 08/23/2011

Mind you the Carbon Tax goes directly to the pockets of Al Gore.

http://vidcall.com/index.php/videos/show/2090/#chooseVidcallMailWin-coming-soon

If you want to learn about incremental conditioning, learn the timeline of Social Sercurity.
Yes it is the Democrats that imposed the Social Security tax and the mandate that all citizens must have the card and the tax, much like Obamacare and Carbon Tax. If I remember correctly we disapprove of taxation without representation. Global Warming is a sham and Carbon Taxes is another sham, like Taxes are going to clean up pollution. haha.

Here's some news for you, since you seem like you could use some info.
http://vidcall.com/index.php/videos/show/2090/#chooseVidcallMailWin-coming-soon

[truly moderate]

04:51 AM on 09/26/2011

ALL FAR RIGHT WING CONSPIRACY THEORIES from gasp CONSERVATIVE SOURCES!!!

Why not use a NPOV source?

[commiepinko]

08:11 PM on 08/22/2011

Huntsman is way too moderate for the repub party!

[bbursky]

10:34 AM on 08/25/2011

Way to sane!

[secUnd3r]

08:03 PM on 08/22/2011

He is trying to get the "I voted for Obama but he didn't do what I wanted" vote. To bad he is still GOP, and those same people finish that statement with, "but I still won't vote for GOP!"

[dave6686]

07:18 PM on 08/22/2011

"These sideshows," Huntsman said, take "us that much farther off the ball" from the focus of fixing the economy and creating jobs.

Who do the GOP-TP think they are fooling... They never intended of intend to create any jobs... Obama has created more in his first two years than Bush did in 8... and that's a fact!

[random100]

06:10 PM on 08/22/2011

In a desperate cry for attention, Huntsman decides he will go after the sane faction of the republican party. This should get him up to 2% of the vote.

[kaykaythere]

07:08 PM on 08/22/2011

The 2% that is demanding tax cuts for the 2% of people like him.

[theMightyT v3]

05:13 PM on 08/22/2011

DIAGUY
As long as Obama keeps up "the good work" this should be a breeze. Of course, we'll end up with someone that is as far "right" as Obama is "Left"....­.but it has to be better than the present ( my opinion of course).

========

Wow. How clueless does one have to be to be of the belief that Obama is "left"?

He's the best Republican president since Clinton.

[truly moderate]

04:53 AM on 09/26/2011

President Obama is center left on domestic issues.......however he is more center right on foreign policy issues.

[KarateKid]

04:16 PM on 08/22/2011

Jon, when are you going to come to your senses and become a Democrat? You don't fit in the devolving minds party.

[attydmartin]

10:37 AM on 08/23/2011

About 1/3 of the Republican Party is still sane (most of those are Northeast and West). As one of those Republicans, I want Mr. Huntsman to stay in the party. We need a moderate voice to counter the Tea Party assault on the GOP.

New Hampshire is an open primary state, I hope independants would consider voting for Huntsman in order to stick it to the tea party.

[KarateKid]

08:44 PM on 08/23/2011

I know many diehard Democrats in Utah who voted for Huntsman....twice.

[mediadeath]

06:17 PM on 08/23/2011

Wrong again kid. He is the EPITOME of the Republican Party. You can keep on trying to label and categorize and because that's what liberals do but you're wrong.

[KarateKid]

08:43 PM on 08/23/2011

Nice try, but YOUR party is about anti _abortion, creationism, anti-gay marriage, anti-global warming. Pay attention. Your party (and formerly mine) doesn't exist anymore.

[Publicola]

12:09 AM on 08/24/2011

"Wrong again kid. He is the EPITOME of the Republican Party."

I wish he was - democracy is not healthy when one of the two main parties has opted to divorce itself from reality.

As it is however Huntsman doesn't stand a chance to get the GOP nomination because his positions on evolution and global warming are reality-based.

[Canuckview]

04:12 PM on 08/22/2011

He doesn't have chance. He is nowhere near nuts enough for today's Repub party. He actually sounds sensible which as we all know is a sure sign of Satan.

[forgetdc]

03:51 PM on 08/22/2011

Huntsman is Obama lite. Another McCain. Useless as a Rep Candidate.

[mediadeath]

05:53 PM on 08/23/2011

No! He is not! Please consider him! And I do NOT like Obama whatsoever. You better rethink this. HE CAN WIN! I am not a Mormon!

[forgetdc]

03:49 PM on 08/22/2011

Scientists can come up with theories of what happened in the beginning of time but they never address why or how it happened. Yes we exist because the earth is exactly where it is, has the water and atmoshperic chemistry to sustaing life but why did the earth land in that location with all the tools to feed clothe and sustain the lives of billions of people.

[KarateKid]

04:17 PM on 08/22/2011

Why was there no mankind for over 4 billion years of this earth's existence?

[forgetdc]

04:35 PM on 08/22/2011

see above.

[Gigi Jacobs]

04:36 PM on 08/22/2011

Are you being serious..or is this a joke? Before I even get to the first ignorant part, you question where all "the tools to feed clothe and sustain the lives of billions" came from? Well, they make them. Just like I make products-other people make products. (I'm sorry..I'm still laughing..)

And scientists have not only addressed why and how it happened, they have statistical numbers as to how many other times this is and has been happening in the rest of the universe.

Not read anything for the last 10 years?

[forgetdc]

06:11 PM on 08/22/2011

You aren't following along very well. I know this is pretty deep. The food, clothing etc are made from natural resources that just happen to be here? Wool, cotton, wheat, soybeans, horses, cattle,chickens, fish, iron ore, gas, oil, timber, fruit trees etc. No one could make anything without all these resources that just showed up for some reason according to the "scientists".