Mitt Romney’s Dan Quayle Moment

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Unquestionably the greatest comeuppance in a presidential debate was Sen. Lloyd Bentsen schooling Sen. Dan Quayle on his friend, Jack Kennedy.

But this morning on "Meet the Press Gregory," former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman made his bid for second greatest comeuppance in a presidential debate.

During the ABC debate on Saturday night, Willard "Mittens" Romney said to Jon Huntsman, "Governor, you were, the last two years, implementing the policies of this administration in China. The rest of us on this stage were doing our best to get Republicans elected across the country and stop the policies of this president from being put forward." Huntsman to Romney: While You Were Campaigning, I Was Serving My Country:

Huntsman had a chance to respond [this] morning during a debate hosted by NBC.

"I was criticized last night by governor Romney for putting my country first," Huntsman said. "And I just want to remind the people in New Hampshire and throughout the United States that he criticized me while he was out raising money for serving my country in China."

"Yes, under a Democrat like my two sons are doing in the United States Navy," the former ambassador admitted. "They're not asking what political affiliation the president is. I want to be very clear with the people here in New Hampshire and this country: I will always put my country first."

NBC debate moderator David Gregory asked Romney for a response.

"I think we serve our country first by standing for people who believe in conservative principles, and doing everything in our power to promote an agenda that does not include President Obama's agenda," Romney declared. "I just think it's most likely that the person who should represent our party running against President Obama is not someone who called him a remarkable leader and went to be his ambassador in China."

Huntsman didn't wait for Gregory to prompt him for a rebuttal.

"This nation is divided, David, because of attitudes like that," he quipped.

Let's be clear: when the president of the United States asks you to serve your country, your only response is "I serve at the pleasure of the president." Period. Jon Huntsman is absolutely correct.

What is disturbing about the response from "Mittens" Romney is that his partisanship is indicative that he intends to represent only those Americans who agree with him, i.e., Karl Rove's infamous "fifty percent plus one" politics of division. As Huntsman observed, "This nation is divided because of attitudes like that."

The president of the United States represents all Americans without regard to political party. "Mittens" Romney has clearly demonstrated that he lacks the character and judgment to be president of the United States.