Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Jindal Torpedoes Presidential Aspirations

Commenting on Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's GOP rebuttal to the President Obama's State of the Union Address last night, Greg Veis offers some grist for the "epic fail" meme: "Americans are scared enough these days to prefer policy solutions to partisan sniping. But, holy crap, did Jindal blow it."

Here's the video, via Hot Air, "
Jindal’s “Awful” Rebuttal:



The full text is here.

I haven't paid that much attention to Jindal, mainly because I don't see him as an attractive presidential candidate. He's got a fabulous resume, but some of his separation-of-church-and-state issues are way more aggressive than the GOP should go - and I'm saying that as a fairly hardline social conservative.

Randy Barnett offered a early warning yesterday at Volokh Conspiracy, "Defining 'Creationism' Down":

If your favorite candidate is on record favoring creationism as science to be taught in government schools, he or she has sunk already himself on the national political scene whether you like it or not. Better find another candidate.

7 comments:

Norm said...

The fact that a lot more people know who Bobby Jindal is makes his appearance a big success. I thought he had a very good answer to the massive orgy of greed we are watching the Democrats have. How in the world are we going to pay for everything we heard in that speech? And then Obama has the balls to say that our grandchildren are not going to pay for it....then tell me, who is? Our great-grandchildren? I know, we grab Saudi Arabia and sell the oil.

removed said...

Let me say this: I am a Jindal supporter. I was proud to support him and vote for him as governor of Louisiana. He is a force of nature and many pundits and consultants consider him a future president. But, this was horrible. If this was supposed to be the Jindal Launch to America it was an epic letdown. This was not the Jindal that most Americans know. Jindal is much smoother and confident than that crap. See for yourself and youtube him.

But, the facts are real. If we can't do better than this -- its over. If this was supposed to be the response for the GOP -- it failed.

They should have hired Fred Thompson. He delivers and looks good and always performs well on these sorts of deliveries. He could fill the role until someone else comes along.

Thoroughly disappointed.

removed said...

Let me say this: I am a Jindal supporter. I was proud to support him and vote for him as governor of Louisiana. He is a force of nature and many pundits and consultants consider him a future president. But, this was horrible. If this was supposed to be the Jindal Launch to America it was an epic letdown. This was not the Jindal that most Americans know. Jindal is much smoother and confident than that crap. See for yourself and youtube him.

But, the facts are real. If we can't do better than this -- its over. If this was supposed to be the response for the GOP -- it failed.

They should have hired Fred Thompson. He delivers and looks good and always performs well on these sorts of deliveries. He could fill the role until someone else comes along.

Thoroughly disappointed.

Stogie said...

Jason, you are full of it. I watched the Jindal response and found it articulate and gentlemanly. Furthermore, he underscored primary Republican philosophical points - individual intitiative over government intervention, etc.

I'm sure Democrats and their propagandistst will diss Jindal's response with all kinds of insults and misrepresentation. They always do that to effective GOP candidates in an attempt to smear them or taint them with an undeserved stink so they won't pose problems for Dems in the future (i.e. as winning candidates).

So Jason, I have to ask you: are you really a Jindal supporter, or a Dem agent provacateur who is only posing as one?

Unknown said...

Jason,

You are absolutely correct though, Jindal blew it. And coming from another Louisiana voter who thoroughly supports Jindal.

On the bright side of things though, check out his performance on the Today show this morning. Night and day. Intellectually engaged articulate, and almost flawless delivery. Especially, when chewing up questions.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/29384471#29384471


This is the Jindal I have seen speak.

One last thing, Stogie, calling Jason a Democrat agent provocateur is like accusing George Washington of being a collectivist.

Righty64 said...

Hey, calm down! It is ONE speech. And, let us face facts, it came after the first appearance of President Obama before congress. I do not get the standing thing. W started that. It LOOKS bad on television. Unless it is Ronald Reagan who was at home with the camera. Reality is that Gov. Jindal will be the face of what Republicans do at the state level. Along with Govs. Palin, Perry, Sanford. We can not and should not count on the Beltway, Washington Republicans. They have been the reasons we lost two consecutive election cycles nationwide. Let's step back and relax about Gov. Jindal last night.

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

If the delivery was lacking, the text of the speech he gave was just fine. I hardly think this "lackluster" speech "torpedoes" any presidential aspirations.