President Obama today chose Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. (R) as his choice for ambassador to China, tapping a moderate Republican governor to be his envoy to the world's largest country.
In a brief ceremony in the White House Diplomatic Room, Obama introduced Huntsman saying the importance of the posting reflects the fact that "China will have a crucial role in confronting all the major challenges" of the world,. "I believe there is much to be gained from a closer working relationship with China."
The announcement was made with Huntsman's large family, including wife Mary Kaye and parents, gathered in the room. He has seven children, including two adopted from China and India.
"What a beautiful family," Obama said as he walked in and saw Huntsman's family.
Huntsman, who was national co-chair of John McCain's presidential campaign, said he "never expected" to be receiving an appointment from the Democratic victor in the race. But when the president asks for service, he said, "that to me is the end of the conversation."
Huntsman, who speaks fluent Chinese, said first in Mandarin, then English, a Chinese saying: "Together we work. Together we progress."
Huntsman, 48, was mentioned this spring as a potential Republican contender for the White House in 2012, and Obama's former campaign manager recently suggested that he is a rising force in the GOP.
He was elected in November to a second term as Utah's governor, drawing 70 percent of the vote. He served in the George W. Bush administration as deputy U.S. trade representative from 2001 to 2004 and, for President George H.W. Bush, was ambassador to Singapore. He is an expert on China, and he speaks Mandarin Chinese fluently.
White House officials described Huntsman as having respect for China's tradition and called him an "unstinting advoate" for America's interestin Asia. They praised his record of service and said he will be able to be frank with the Chinese when the two countries disagree.
The news almost certainly forecloses the possibility that Huntsman will be a candidate for national office in 2012.
Huntsman, who has deep experience in the far east, was clearly positioning himself for a national bid -- casting himself as a common sense conservative on issues like the environment and health care.
He had also begun to build a national consulting team that included John Weaver, a former senior strategist to Arizona Sen. John McCain.
As governor, Huntsman has built an impressive record of economic recovery and growth. He has pushed for an overhaul of the state's health-care system, and he has lobbied for his party to do more on the environment. He has also promoted in Utah, a state where Republicans dominate, the power of bipartisanship.
"Most Americans are fed up with the idea that partisanship has stood in the way of progress," Huntsman said in an interview late last year.
David Plouffe, who managed Obama's presidential campaign, told U.S. News & World Report this month that Huntsman was "the one person in that party who might be a potential presidential candidate."
In an interview with washingtonpost.com's "Fix" last December, Huntsman urged bipartisan cooperation -- an early indicator, perhaps, of his willingness to sacrifice his governorship for a spot in a Democratic Administration.
"People work with people," said Huntsman. "Most Americans are fed up with the idea that partisanship has stood in the way of progress."
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