Via Bryan Preston, a smooth, thoroughly dismissive answer to the media’s latest attempt to bait him. No hedging this time with agnosticism about whether O’s birth certificate is real or how it’s “a good issue to keep alive,” just scorn for the question on a day that’s supposed to be devoted to economics. How come he didn’t say this verbatim to Parade two days ago or to John Harwood this morning? He’s spent 10 years perfecting his retail political skills as governor, yet he face-planted with that “heartless” crack about in-state tuition last month and he upstaged his own jobs plan today. I don’t get it. It makes Romney’s robotic affect seem virtuous by comparison. Mitt won’t charm you, but at least you don’t have to worry about him lapsing into Trump talking points hours before delivering a major speech.

Speaking of candidates not living up to their hype, I want to link this item about Huntsman but can’t justify devoting an entire post to a guy who’s polling an asterisk. So let me tuck it in here. Remember, this is a guy who’s been an ambassador, prized for his diplomatic skills, to not one but two Asian countries:

However, it was a joke Huntsman made about China, the country where he served as ambassador for two years, that caused the crowd to groan.

When Colbert played a sound effect of a stereotypical Chinese riff, Huntsman joked, “When’s the delivery food coming?” After a few seconds of awkward silence, Colbert replied, “Did that go over well in Beijing?” This portion of the interview was cut for time from the broadcast.

“There was a gasp,” audience member Dana Cole told ABC News. “A little tasteless. No one really saw it coming. He got ahead of himself.”

“I think he was just really nervous honestly,” said Zach Zirlin, who was also in the crowd. “He was just trying to humanize himself a little bit … I think he brings a very fresh face to the Republican Party. All the past candidates were not easy to relate to and he seems more human than the rest.”

So there you go. Perry’s winking at Birthers, Cain can barely get through an answer on abortion, Huntsman’s making Chinese-takeout jokes, and Romney is … Romney. Exit question: Second look at Gary Johnson?