A Bird Dog endorsement: Jindal for GOP running mate
Bill Kristol beat me to the punch. After it was clear that John McCain would be the GOP nominee for president, many conservatives assuaged their frustration by saying that McCain would be acceptable if he kept to his word on judges and borders, AND if he picked a suitable running mate. In my view, it would be hard for conservatives to do better than Bobby Jindal . Why Jindal?
● He's brilliant. He graduated from high school at 16 and he's a Rhodes Scholar.
● He's performed admirably in every job he's had, and was promoted rapidly for his efforts. He has a good mix of managerial and legislative experience.
● He's doing an excellent job as governor, showing quite a bit of political savvy in getting elected and pushing through a reform agenda.
● He is the son of immigrants, which is quintessentially American.
● He is politically conservative.
● He is charismatic (for a Republican, that is).
● He would balance the ticket with McCain. The obvious balance is the age factor: McCain is 71 and Jindal is 36. Jindal is more conservative than McCain, which satisifies the conservative wing of the party. Jindal is a southern governor, which solidifies an important region in electoral college politics. Jindal is Catholic, which balances McCain's Episcopalian-Baptist background, not to mention the John Hagee unpleasantness. Least importantly, Jindal would rival Obama for funny-sounding first names (Jindal's is Piyush).
● The other hats in the ring are less inspiring.
● Did I mention that he's awfully gosh darn smart?
Of course, there are several objections to having Bobby Jindal on the ticket with McCain, and here are some of them:
"He's too young." Yes, he's comparatively young, but as I see it, Jindal's work experience is superior to Obama's years in the Illinois Senate and brief time as U.S. Senator.
"He has important work to do in Louisiana." True, but he can do important work as vice president serving his country, more so than serving just a single state. Also, Jindal can help McCain win. It wouldn't be easy, but Jindal doesn't have to quit as governor while running with McCain. If the GOP ticket doesn't make it, then Jindal will stay in Baton Rouge.
"He'd be a better candidate four or eight years from now." He's a great candidate right now, and a lot can happen in four or eight years.
"He doesn't have enough name recognition." Neither does Mark Sanford or Tim Pawlenty, to name two other Republican governors, and the chances are too low that Condi Rice would take the job.
"History is against him if he loses." Sorry, I just don't buy Ross Douthat's reasoning . Just because it hasn't happened in the past, doesn't mean it won't happen in the future. Times change.
Picking Jindal would be a smart choice, but also a bit risky (dare I say maverick?) because of Jindal's relative youth, but McCain could do worse.
Comments :
Yes, but his experience...
Jindal seems to be inspiring, but is he really ready for national politics? He's only been in national office for four years. Perhaps he is not ready to be a heartbeat away for commander in chief until he gets some more experience under his belt. Oh, and he has a funny-sounding name.
[/snark]
Seriously, I think he's a bright guy and a rising Republican Star that I can respect. But prepare to hear the same arguments that were levied against Obama (and still are), especially regarding his (pretty far right) abortion position.
http://wealthweekly.blogspot.com
Wii FC:2805-8311-8040-2678 Brawl: 2277-7051-2186
That's a reason to support him
He's eleven years younger than Obama, and already he has a much stronger resume than the Illinois Senator.
A much stronger resume?
His entire elected career consists of three years as a House Rep, plus four months as Governor -- in total, the exact same length of time that Obama has been a US Senator.
Of course, Obama also had eight years in the Illinois Senate.
Granted Jindal has a strong record before he cast his hat in the ring in the 2003 Governor race, but Obama has accomplishments to his credit before running for office as well.
Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson
I suspect Jindal is going to fall
the hype is being built up so much that I find it unlikely he'll manage not to disappoint. Actually it's rather reminiscent of the FRED! hype.
On the other hand if he does succeed in cleaning up Louisiana politics that's good for everyone. So I hope he succeeds, I just won't bet on it.
Tying himself to McCain's long shot presidential run seems like a waste.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
If he does well in Louisiana, he can basically
do whatever he wants down the road. The Republicans do not have a very deep bench and IMHO most of their current big names aren't going to have much appeal in a few years.
Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson
I agree
assuming you mean by "does well" that he manages to make significant reform without getting destroyed by either party.
If he can do that in LA then he legitimately deserves to be a star of the party. It would show great political skill and substantial dedication. But it's all still hypothetical.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
Yes
He has a much stronger managerial background than Obama, and look what he's done in his short time in elected office. He was put on a leadership fast track in the House, and the reform package he passed in Louisiana--long famous for its breathtaking corruption--is extraordinary.
It'll be spun as a really cynical pander
Common wisdom will be Jindal was picked because he's dark skinned and young -- an obvious counter to the Democrats' dark skinned and young Presidential candidate. The VP slot is designed to complement the President in that way, but this will be read as going way overboard.
The only thing I'd have against Jindal if I was a Republican is that he's seat hopping. He didn't finish out his House term to become Governor and now he won't finish out this new term to become VP. Otherwise he and Sarah Palin (R-AK) are two bright spots for the future of the GOP.
I never broke the law; I am the law! --
George W. BushJudge DreddI'm listening to...
I'm not sure "balance" is the right term
with regard to the age factor. Seems like having a kid as his veep will only help highlight just how old McCain is. And since there is a significant chance that McCain might die in office, given both age and health issues, it is pretty important to consider his veep choice as actual president.
There's no way in hell that Jindal is ready to be president. Over all I think he's a bad choice for McCain.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
From what I've read, I respect Jindal.
He seems to be a genuinely decent politician and coming from a state like Louisiana, that is not easy to say. Let's just say the state has an "interesting" history.
But fast forward to the '08 fall election and Jindal won't work for the GOP.
I say that because we've already seen the writing on the wall as to how the party is going to treat the Dems likely nominee Obama. They are goig to go hard on the Southern Democrat route. They are going to try to scare their base and as many independents as they can to think that this black man is a genuine threat to the US as a nation and America as a culture.
With that in mind, Jindal might present some "problems".
Just sowing seeds
You know, I just had an interesting thought. Jindal wouldn't have ever gotten anywhere in electoral politics if he was a Hindu or Sikh (and obviously not a Muslim). Could you imagine Louisiana Republicans voting for a guy wearing a turban?
It just goes to show we're still not as enlightened as we think we are.
I never broke the law; I am the law! --
George W. BushJudge DreddI'm listening to...
Enlightened....That's funny.
No we aren't.
I was reading a thread this morning from Armando (OK, BTD) over at TalkLeft, and I was struck by the disconnect with so may of the posters. Most of them are saying they won't vote for a Presidential candidate in the fall if Hillary doesn't win the nomination. Talk about biting off your nose to spite your face. And that is suposubly an educated blog using crowd.
Enlightened.....I wish we were more so, but we aren't.
People are too emotional
That's what happens when you get an emotional attachment to a candidate for office.
Obama is really harping on the emotional angle to the point that I almost want to vote for him, but my rational side says that he's a member of the corrupt 2-party system and isn't good enough on Iraq and health care to earn my vote.
I may yet vote for him if he and the Democratic Party don't try to keep Nader off the ballot. It's odd to put it this way but if Nader has an easy time getting on ballots, I'm less likely to vote for him. If I see more dirty tricks like I did in 2004, Obama won't be getting my vote.
I never broke the law; I am the law! --
George W. BushJudge DreddI'm listening to...
Is it really though?
A good number of Hillary's supporters are moderate/centrist dems. Is it really self defeating for them not to vote for Obama who is pretty far left? Indeed given that the GOP is running a perceived (if not actual) maverick with a history of pandering to the middle, why wouldn't they at least abstain?
For very different reasons I'm probably not going to vote Obama in November either. It'll be another year with the presidential part of the ballot left blank (which certainly might have been the case with Hillary, but is almost assuredly with Obama). I have no emotional connection to Hillary (who I think would be a decidedly mediocre president) but in the choice between McCain and Obama I see no reason to choose over the other (devil you know vs the one you don't).
Now that said I maintain that the institutional factors at play this time around will make it pretty easy for Obama to win, anyway.
I came. I saw. I posted.
Veni, Vidi, Bitchy.
Obama is far left? Where? His stated positions are
all (except for Iraq) very much Hillaries.
To further to talking point that Obama is an extremist isn't constructive. It's just a Rovian Republican talking point, not factual by any means.
Obama is a moderate in my opinion.
You're absolutely right that McCain could do worse
And wouldn't be too unhappy with Jindal. But for two reasons I don't think its a good idea. 1. Experience, one of McCain's main selling points is experience if he's willing to let the next in command be someone who arguable has as much experience as Obama then that arguement is demolished. Jindal may have more experience if you count executive experience and business experience as higher than law and legislative. But if we have to argue the point than we've allready pretty much lost it.
2. He really could more in LO, the VP really is a pretty worthless position unless the president dies.
So lets give Jindal another four to eight years at least. By that time he will be way more experienced that Obama, and about the same age as Kennedy and Clinton.