JNOMICS — bylinebeat: Huntsman, Excluded From #IowaDebate,...

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Huntsman, Excluded From #IowaDebate, Holds New Hampshire Town Hall

Excluded from Saturday’s GOP presidential debate, Jon Huntsman concentrated on wooing Granite State votes, using markedly sharper language than he has in the past.

His evening town hall meeting in this city, which drew about 150 people, marked the second time that the former Utah governor has not been on stage with his fellow contenders. With his current low standing in polls, he did not meet the threshold of support to qualify.

Asked whether he would commit to not run as a third-party candidate should he fail to get the GOP nomination, Huntsman reiterated one of his favorite lines, usually used as a crack toward other candidates: “I don’t need to take pledges of any kind, particularly when I’m going to win as the Republican,” he said.

But when pressed by the questioner on how such a move could doom the GOP’s chance of taking the White House, Huntsman quipped that the only solution is to pick “the most electable candidate” in the first place.

It wasn’t the only sass Huntsman offered at the event.

“I am in this race because I fundamentally feel the American people are getting screwed,” he said within minutes of taking the floor at the Londonderry High School.

Later, he hit opponent Mitt Romney and former potential opponent Donald Trump in one fell swoop: “I’m not going to pander, I’m not going to sign those silly pledges that everybody else on the debate stage signs, and I’m not going to show up to one of those Donald Trump debates, that’s for sure,” he said, referring to a forum on Dec. 27 that will be moderated by the real estate mogul.

Huntsman told reporters on his way out that the rest of his night’s plans wouldn’t likely include watching the debate, which at that time was scheduled to begin in 20 minutes.

“Well what time is it on?” he asked. “I can’t make any promises; it depends on if ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ is on at the same time. If it is, then I don’t think I’ll get around to it.”

Photo Credit: (AP Photo)