McCain to introduce Huntsman at confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON — Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. will be introduced by former GOP presidential nominee John McCain when he appears Thursday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for a confirmation hearing on his nomination as ambassador to China.

The Arizona senator and longtime friend of Huntsman will be joined for the introduction before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by Utah's two Republican senators, Orrin Hatch and Bob Bennett, the committee confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

There had been some confusion over whether Bennett would appear on behalf of Huntsman. Traditionally, only the two senators representing a nominee's home state appear, although it is not unusual for other senators to participate in person or by putting a statement in the record.

The governor's spokeswoman, Lisa Roskelley, told the Deseret News Wednesday morning that only McCain and Hatch would be there. Bennett spokeswoman Tara Hendershott, however, said Utah's junior senator had confirmed his appearance with the committee.

Roskelley said later that Huntsman had believed he was only able to be introduced by two senators and was "happy to have both of the state's senators participate," in addition to McCain. She also said the governor appreciated McCain's support. "He's pleased Senator McCain is able and willing to do this and that they have had such a close friendship over the years."

Huntsman, who has been spending much of his time in Washington preparing for the hearing, had lunch with McCain on Monday. But he had already asked McCain to address the committee, McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan said.

"Of course, Senator McCain was honored to do so," Buchanan said.

Unlike most of his fellow Republicans in Utah, Huntsman supported McCain over "favorite son" candidate Mitt Romney, a member of the LDS Church and the head of the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Romney won Utah's GOP presidential primary in early February with a whopping 90 percent of the vote but dropped out of the race soon after. In the November election, McCain beat President Barack Obama in Utah.

The Democratic president surprised many in mid-May by announcing Huntsman as his choice for what's considered the nation's most import ambassadorship. Huntsman was already being touted as a potential GOP challenger to Obama in 2012.

The two Utah senators said they were honored to introduce Huntsman and confident in his abilities.