After a week of puzzling web ads showing a motorcyclist crossing the desert, Jon Huntsman is making it official today as he tosses his hat in the ring for the GOP nomination. It’s obviously no accident that he’ll be launching his bid at the feet of the Statue of Liberty and quoting Reagan extensively in his remarks. The scheduled time is 10 AM eastern, so we’ll have the live feed of it right here for you to watch. After he’s done, we’ll swap that out for a video replay for those who missed it.

Video and then a few selections from his scheduled remarks follow. (You’ll want to check out the final quotes in particular.)

For the first time in our history, we are about to pass down to the next generation a country that is less powerful, less compassionate, less competitive and less confident than the one we got.

This is totally unacceptable and totally un-American.

And it need not, must not, will not be our permanent condition! We will not be the first American generation that lets down the next generation…

Here’s one portion which I’m sure will raise a few eyebrows in the comments section:

I don’t think you need to run down anyone’s reputation to run for President. Of course we’ll have our disagreements. I respect my fellow Republican candidates. And I respect the President. He and I have a difference of opinion on how to help the country we both love. But the question each of us wants the voters to answer is who will be the better President; not who’s the better American.

Have at it.

UPDATE: Well, if Jon was hoping to impress the media, it seems to have failed. I had MSNBC on (don’t ask) and they barely aired a minute of the speech before cutting away while Huntsman was still speaking and critiquing the announcement. (It was pronounced “not exciting enough” for somebody with such low name recognition.) Checking in with other viewers of Fox and CNN, they are responding saying that neither of those networks lasted longer than 90 seconds before cutting away. Take from that what you will.