Counted among Joe Huntsman's many fans in the mainstream media, few praised Huntsman more than Joe Scarborough of MSNBC's Morning Joe.

"Jon Huntsman Jr. is the most conservative candidate in this Republican race." Scarborough said this morning, touting the opinions of the Wall Street Journal, conservative commentator George Will, and conservative blogger Erick Erickson.

Scarborough criticized the Republican party this morning for not accepting Huntsman, who, in his opinion, was a true Reagan conservative.

"Because he had a moderate temperament, like another guy named Ronald Reagan, he was not seen as being conservative enough, because he didn't call Barack Obama a Marxist or a Fascist or a Socialist." Scarborough said suggesting that conservatives ignored Huntsman for "not hating enough."

"If that is how the Republican party defines 'conservative' in 2012, then they have turned their backs not only on Ronald Reagan but also on leaders like Jeb Bush and Mitch Daniels." Scarborough warned.

"I hate to see him go." Scarborough said.