Never Let a Good Headline Go to Waste

McKay Coppins has a story in Newsweek arguing that former Utah Governor and current Ambassador to Beijing Jon Huntsman will run for President in 2012. James Fallows, sensibly, isn't buying it:

Huntsman is part of the Obama Administration. He is right in the middle of dealings with America's most important foreign-policy partner/challenge. So in the GOP Primaries, how exactly is he going to out-Obama anyone else in the field, given that he has served Obama (and, yes, the country) so loyally? The retorts from all the other Republicans are almost too easy. "If Ambassssadorrr Huntsman is so concerned about the Obama threat to America, then why,…?"

And if he got through that process, he would run against his current commander-in-chief …. how? And why? What is the issue of principle so important that it compels him to challenge Obama's continuation in office, but has not justified any disagreement while he's serving now? "Huntsman 2016″ would be a very logical inference from his current position. "Huntsman 2012″ would require suspension of basic laws of politics and common sense.

Quite so. That said "The Manchurian Candidate" is an excellent headline for an article about the hypothetical presidential campaign of an ambassador to China. So on those grounds alone I think you have to run with the story. Second, I do think that if you look at the history of Republican presidential nominees there's something to be said for getting in the game and running even if the time isn't right. Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, and John McCain all ran and lost before they got the nomination.