So much for Jon Huntsman?

UPDATE: Politico, like always, doesn't pull any punches in their analysis: China pick sidelines GOP moderate.

“Brilliant,” said GOP strategist Mark McKinnon of the appointment. “Keep your friends close and your enemies in China.”

Ambinder calls it a "masterstroke". And here's Andrew Sullivan:

Don't under-estimate Obama's policial cunning, guys. But for those of us with some small hope of restoring decency and moderation to the right, this is a major blow. What Obama is doing is bringing all the sane conservatives  - from Crist to Huntsman to Gates - into his orbit. And Cheney gets to be the the face of the GOP future.

The Los Angeles times has the story this morning:

Reporting from Washington -- President Obama today reached into the Republican ranks for a key foreign policy position in his administration, tapping Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman to be ambassador to China.

Huntsman's hometown Salt Lake Tribune has a great package of stories if you're interested, including remarks by the president, the transcript from the announcement, and a preview of Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert. No surprise, Herbert is portrayed as more a doctrinaire Utah conservative than his boss. From a few blocks down South Temple, the Deseret News notes that Huntsman's departure should be good for Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and Democratic Congressman Jim Matheson, among others.

I've posted about Huntsman on this blog since March, when he first went public with some daring policy positions which, I felt, had the potential to shake up the 2012 presidential primary. Someone who's willing to make forward-thinking challenges to the status quo will be a big deal, in my opinion.

Does sending Huntsman to Beijing end any 2012 hopes?

Huntsman is a fluent Mandarin speaker, thanks to his LDS mission in Taiwan in the early 80's. He served as ambassador to Singapore at one point, and has been shortlisted for a number of diplomatic posts in Asia for years. The Deseret News also notes the regular trade missions Huntsman makes to Asia on behalf of Utah.

Another Huntsman note: Less than two weeks ago, Huntsman formalized a relationship with John Weaver, as reported by Mark Ambinder.

Among the informal strategic advisers to potential 2012 presidential aspirant Gov. Jon Huntsman, Jr. (R-UT): John Weaver, formerly the chief strategist to Sen. John McCain. This is a sign that Huntsman is thinking seriously about his future. It's also a testament to loyalty: Huntsman was one of the first governors to endorse McCain and refused to withdraw his endorsement during the dark period of the Republican nominee's campaign.

What do we think? Is Huntsman alive or dead (anymore than he was before)?