In theory it does, but the difference is that Huntsman has already been seen side-by-side with the other Republicans and – so far – he just isn’t getting much traction. This is despite a heavy dose of initial publicity when he joined the race, and continued support among a committed group of moderates. As Perry is finding out, however, moderation doesn’t play well in the nominating phase of the selection process. By not showing up on stage next to her competitors (but still showing up), Palin has avoided getting slotted by the media. It’s early, of course, so we shouldn’t count Huntsman out (or Palin in), but so far he hasn’t caught fire.

In that spirit, I wonder: why Palin? If avoiding the front-runner bulls-eye is indeed desirable, doesn’t that put someone like Huntsman in a similarly advantageous position?