Nice GOP guys finish last

If, as alleged, the political media were in the tank for Jon Huntsman, then the whirlwind romance has hit a wall. His campaign debut yesterday was unimpressive. And like a disappointed first date ("Girlfriend, he didn't look anything like his e-Hookup.com photo"), the press is quickly souring on him. On paper, Huntsman looks like a political Prince Charming. He's rich, intelligent, articulate, and ski instructor handsome. But most importantly, this worldly Republican appeared to be both rational and moderate. Be still my political heart. But then Huntsman went all noble on us and took the political "high road." Worst, he did so by delivering the blandest speech evah. Damn him, the bamboozled press exclaimed in unison. Dana Milbank writes, that "is a radical proposition [by the caustic political standards of 2011]." The fawning press wanted a brainy James Dean. They got Frodo instead. Milbank lamented that, "Huntsman, who was until recently President Obama’s ambassador to China and yet who notably didn’t mention Obama by name in his kickoff speech, made a plea for “civility, humanity and respect” — the very qualities our political system seems to abhor. I wish Huntsman luck in this noble pursuit, but the high road almost always leads to political oblivion." Milbank conveniently forgets that another fella similarly took the high road in 2008 - "Yes We Can!" - and won. But let's not confuse the issue with the facts. As Huntsman is learning the hard way, hell hath no fury like a political press scorned.