Jon Huntsman Announces That He Will Announce A Presidential Bid Next Tuesday

After months of speculation, several comical implosions, and two debates, former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman was finally ready to announce today that he is ready to announce a bona fide presidential bid on June 21. Flanked by Sir Harold Evans and Henry Kissinger, Huntsman led slide at a Reuters event that he is planning an official entry next Tuesday.

Huntsman was at the event speaking to a small audience on international affairs, and when asked whether he was running, jokingly requested he be reassured that no one was watching. Given the nature of the “selective audience,” Huntsman allowed the news to slip that he would be throwing his hat in the ring sooner rather than later. Making the announcement in the company of such respected diplomats underlined Huntsman’s edge on most official candidates now in the race in matters of foreign policy. Most following the race consider Huntsman a potential frontrunner with major name recognition hurdles to jump, as well as having to explain to primary voters why and how he became a member of the Obama administration despite running for the Republican nomination.