EVEN W DIDN'T HAVE THE NERVE...

Obama picks GOP's Jon Huntsman as ambassador to China: Obama calls the post 'as important as any in the world.' Huntsman, governor of Utah and co-chair of John McCain's presidential campaign, says he feels an 'obligation' to accept the Democrat's offer. (Richard Simon, May 16, 2009, LA Times)

President Obama today reached into the Republican ranks for a key foreign policy position in his administration, tapping Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman to be ambassador to China.

"Given the breadth of issues at stake in our relationship with China, this ambassadorship is as important as any in the world," Obama said in announcing the ambassadorship at the White House with Huntsman at his side.

While Huntsman has served as an ambassador to Singapore, speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese and has an adopted Chinese daughter, Obama noted that his selection of "not only a Republican, but a Republican who co-chaired my opponent's campaign for the presidency" wouldn't be the easiest move to explain to some people.

...to send a Mormon missionary to China as our official representative.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 16, 2009 1:52 PM