Huntsman walking the talk in his first year

By John Florez
Published: Sunday, Dec. 25, 2005 11:24 p.m. MST
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When I heard Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s inauguration speech last January, I was reminded of John W. Gardner's thoughts about selecting an executive — look for "taste and judgment. Almost everything else you can buy by the yard."

Though I've heard many inauguration speeches, this one was different. It was about values molded by past generations that would guide his administration. Others talk about things and problems to be solved. This governor offered a vision and gave deference to our history. It was a speech that conveyed a sense of hope and encouraged others to embrace change. When he was asked what motivated him to write such a speech, he said he wanted it to be a "harbinger of things to come." He believes words are important. It would be the standard I would use at the end of the year to see if the governor would really "walk the talk."

Here are some of the excerpts I chose to follow:

You are the people I have been elected to lead — and I do so with deep humility and an enormous responsibility . . . but I will lead and I will take an occasional risk. We live in an era in which taking no risk is sometimes the biggest risk of all . . . whatever political capital I now possess will be used for the good of this state . . . Call me an optimist, but that is exactly what I am. I see our world more interdependent and opportunity rich each day.

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My desire is to usher in an unprecedented period of cooperation and community building. People reaching across boundaries — be they religious or race — political or geographic — a state that is truly civil and respectful for each individual's pathway toward life . . . we will have our differences, but with it must come greater appreciation and respect for those differences . . . And if at the end of four years we have provided the infrastructure necessary to meet the needs of the next generation, I will consider my tenure a success.

After his speech, some had new hope for the future. Others saw him as a "lightweight," a person of privilege elected because of his family name. Needless to say, his first three months in office gave some credence to the criticism. Thirty people were summarily terminated; some viewed him as insensitive, others saw him as timid in taking on the Legislature. His tenure started out like someone starting a new job.

Shortly thereafter, the governor's leadership style started to unfold. His decisionmaking seemed to be based on the state's interest and made quietly without needless confrontation. He made it clear that he would oppose the disposal of nuclear waste in Utah. He brought up the matter of illegal immigration while national and state politicians ignored it; furthermore, he made it part of his agenda to discuss with Mexico's president, Vicente Fox, and is taking that issue for consideration at the National Governor's Association.

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