Report: Jon Huntsman ‘Set Aside’ Mormonism To Drink Liquor While In China

Jon Huntsman is well-traveled and, as it turns out, exceptionally polite – even willing to compromise certain beliefs for the comfort of his hosts. Take a look, for instance, at this rather charming anecdote from Real Clear World:

Talking to his associates from his time in China, one hears near-universal respect for the man and his views of America’s role within the world – even to the point of turning his time away from the states in China into a potential political asset, an instance of confronting communists with a case for freedom. They’ll tell you Huntsman truly does view his role as one of duty and service to the nation – even to the point of setting aside his Mormon religious views on drinking alcohol to drink the disgusting baijiu liquor which is mandatory at Chinese events (I’m told Huntsman would drink the clear alcohol once and then switch to water, hoping no one noticed after the first round).

The article provides an in-depth look at Huntsman’s views regarding issues like bringing troops home from Afghanistan, “nation building at home,” and matters of foreign policy, so it’s definitely worth a read to get to know him better.

h/t Real Clear World via Ben Smith’s Twitter

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