Reply #6

Huntsman ran a very credible campaign as a Republican moderate. I think you're beginning to see a few of the brighter moderate Republican politicians realize that their party has abandoned them - Huntsman and Christie both come to mind, as well as Colin Powell and Robert Gates - and they are casting about for a political future. I think that so long as the Republicans head farther and farther right and the moderates get left behind, the likelihood for political compromise remains low and polarity remains high. In many respects, I think that one thing that Obama may be trying to do (very quietly) is to help jumpstart a new Eisenhower-like Republican party, one focused on environmental issues, civil rights, respect for science and humanism and fairness. Putting them in high profile positions that are not necessarily domestic or economic (SoS and Defense are both good examples) builds a cadre of Republicans that could quite possibly nucleate a new party and take it back from the extremists. As a Democrat I'd be a bit wary of this, but as a progressive, I think this would be a good thing overall.