Ljs: Jon Huntsman: a moderate Republican in name only

Don't believe the hype: no 'compassionate conservative' he

Appearances ? and recent commentary ? to the contrary, perhaps, there's nothing "moderate" about John Huntsman's political record, much less the way he's positioning himself in the GOP presidential race. James Antle, among other Guardian commentators, has pointed to Huntsman's temperament and style ? and his calls for greater "civility" ? as evidence of his moderation. But how moderate is a candidate who has unequivocally endorsed Paul Ryan's Medicare privatisation plan ? which conservative Republican Newt Gingrich has blasted as "rightwing social engineering" (before apologising for saying so)?

If not a moderate, what is Huntsman's true political character?

Huntsman is easily the most pro-business candidate in the race. At his campaign kickoff speech at Liberty State Park, New Jersey earlier this week, the former two-term Utah governor didn't talk about what he did or didn't do to improve the lives of middle-class Americans in his state. And while he acknowledged that some Americans were hurting, his remarks certainly didn't register very high on the empathy scale. Avowed non-moderate Michele Bachmann, who recently savaged President Obama for not really "feeling the pain" of ordinary Americans, has already scored much higher here.

Huntsman mainly extolled his record making Utah one of the safest places in America for US corporations by offering them generous tax breaks. And he promised to do the same nationally, if elected.

Huntsman, standing in front of the Statue of Liberty, extolled freedom. Well, that works if you're rich white guy, son of a billionaire, with a large enough personal fortune to finance your own campaign. And as long as you're already sitting pretty during a period of rising income equality and the nation's worst joblessness in three decades.

With Lady Liberty so close, you'd also think Huntsman might have made at least token reference to immigrants and to their role in not only fostering economic innovation but also forging the American "melting pot". After all, that's what true GOP "moderates" like Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina are still doing, in the face of Republican "nativists" howling for mass deportations.

Huntsman, as the head of the Western Governors' Association, was once in the forefront of supporting illegal immigrants with state subsidies for college education and a "guest worker" programme that would have provided a conditional path to legalisation. And just two months ago, his beloved Utah ? under his Republican successor, Governor Gary Herbert ? passed a bill that includes a state guest worker programme and expanded border and workplace enforcement measures, with no Arizona-style crackdown. The pro-business Huntsman could easily have embraced this plan ? but didn't.

And cap-and-trade? Some pundits are writing as if Huntsman's still supporting the climate change measures he backed in the past, which would have reduced green gas emissions by 15%. But Huntsman, in mid-May, sensing how his long-standing position might hurt him given the abiding climate-denial mood in the GOP, said he no longer supported cap-and-trade, even though he still thought there were "anthropogenic" (read human) factors that might have caused global warming. Admittedly, compared to Michele Bachmann, who's called for "armed and dangerous" opposition to cap-and-trade, that makes Huntsman something of a pacifist. But like former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, who once strongly supported abortion rights, but now, just as strongly, doesn't, it also makes him a "flip-flopper".

For some, the essence of Huntsman's claim to being a moderate comes down to social issues ? namely his endorsement of gay civil unions. That just so happens to be the view of most of the national political establishment, and, of course, if it's your signature issue, at the expense of all others, you may find reason to applaud Huntsman's candidacy ? as a least of all evils ? as long as you ignore his powerful free-market bias on the economy.

But Huntsman is no social issues moderate. He's as "pro-life" as Bachmann or any of the other GOP candidates. And given his trimming to the right on immigration and cap-and-trade, don't expect him to stick to his position on same-sex civil unions, either. With rival candidates like Tim Pawlenty demanding continued support for the Defence of Marriage Act, does anyone really expect Huntsman ? proud father of seven, who extols the virtues of "traditional" marriage ? to go out on a limb for gay people?

Huntsman's entry into the GOP race may well raise the level of discourse, especially as he begins participating in the debates. It will be refreshing to hear such a high-minded candidate who displays the same urbane and thoughtful manner that President Obama does. But Huntsman's positioning cuts two ways: yes, he may have some impact in bringing "civility" to the primaries (his stated intention) and in tempering the right's anti-Obama invective. But if he also succeeds in substituting style for substance with his "moderate" branding, particularly on the economy, he will simply have given his stamp to the emphatically rightward redefinition of what "moderate Republicanism" is.

?�Editor's note: As originally worded, this article implied that Tim Pawlenty supports repeal of the Defence of Marriage Act; this has been amended to clarify that Pawlenty supports maintenance of Doma at 8pm (BST) on 24 June 2011.