Congress and Republicans in Congress in particular, so I would say that applause probably came from several different areas of that audience, not just Huntsman supporters.

If only Jon Huntsman had left well enough alone. But no, there he was, poised to grab a nice rhetorical victory at Mitt Romney's expense, when David Gregory forced him back to what I consider to be a really poorly-phrased question. Here it is:

DAVID GREGORY: --superficial. Let's talk substance. So Governor Huntsman, name three areas where Americans will feel real pain in order to balance the budget?

Before I get to Huntsman's response, I'd just like to say that this kind of question is offensive, particularly when the national conversation has clearly shifted away from austerity and toward recovery, thanks to the OWS movement. Never let it be said that David Gregory misses an opportunity to play into conservatives' narratives, even when they're dead as doornails. And by asking this question, the hapless David Gregory laid the foundation for Jon Huntsman to step on his own neck. His answer:

JON HUNTSMAN: Well, I would have to say that I agree with the Ryan plan. I think I'm the only one standing up here who has embraced the Ryan plan. It's a very aggressive approach to taking about 6.2-- $6.2 trillion out of the budget over 10 years. And it looks at everything. And what I like about it is it says there will be no sacred cows.

JON HUNTSMAN: Medicare won't be a sacred cow. Department of Defense won't be a sacred cow. As president of the United States I'm gonna stand up and I'm gonna say, "We are where we are. 24% spending-- as a percentage of GDP. We've gotta move to 19%--

DAVID GREGORY: Three programs that will make Americans feel pain, sir?

Just like that, Mr. Huntsman snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The Ryan plan is hated by everyone but the most extreme edges of the Republican party. And not only for the Medicare proposals, but also for the privatization plan for Social Security, the deep and austere cuts to the Federal government, and other extreme and unnecessary cuts, while actually increasing the Defense budget. The whole plan is a disaster when put in front of the American people.

Ron Wyden's absurd attempt to make the Ryan plan some kind of bizarre bipartisan issue almost robbed Democrats of the advantage on this in 2012. But thanks to Jon Huntsman and also Mitt Romney, Republicans now have sole ownership of it once again, all in the name of causing pain to the American people.

Side note to David Gregory: Please consider suppressing your sadistic nature. It's not pretty in public.