Huntsman is a very interesting and impressive person and if he’s on Charlie Rose, I’ll watch for the full hour. He has an exemplary record of public service, twice serving as U.S. ambassador in Asia, working in the Reagan White House, serving in the George W. Bush administration as the deputy trade representative, and winning two statewide elections in the reddest state in the country. He deserves a Presidential Medal of Freedom for his patriotism, selflessness, and skill. I do not wish him ill, nor do I begrudge his campaign team, some of whom I know personally and respect.

But he will not be the Republican nominee.

As a final illustration of how absurd the Huntsman coverage has been, his meticulously planned announcement event, coinciding with dozens of profile stories, TV interviews, and a New York Times magazine profile, and mystifyingly held in a state park in New Jersey in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty, drew less than 100 voters — and over 100 credentialed media. A 1:1 ratio of voters to media is unprecedented. Two months ago, Herman Cain had 12,000 people attend his announcement in Atlanta, and he is now polling third nationally. Guess who earned more coverage?