Hard Work Paying off for Jindal in Louisiana Gubernatorial Campaign

Alexandria, LA, Daily Town Talk ^ | 11-09-03 | Hill, John

[Theodore R.]

NEW ORLEANS - It's one of those clear, crisp beautiful fall late afternoons in New Orleans, the kind that is a reward to locals who survived August and to thousands of tourists already roaming the streets of the famed French Quarter.

[Theodore R.]

The Town Talk has endorsed Blanco, but here is an impressive analysis from John Hill on the Jindal campaign.

[ConservativeMan55]

bump for later reading!

[alloysteel]

Bobby Jindal cannot stop now, he must continue to campaign as if he were five points behind. He has a wealth of good and valid points available to contrast the effects of his stewardship of the governor's office with the infamous past politics of Louisiana.

No place left to go but up.

[lsucat]

Great article. Thanks for posting it.

[JohnnyZ]

He also is on black radio, unusual for a Republican, in an ad that says party doesn't matter.

This should be required, not unusual. It has worked well for other Republicans, notably Jim Talent in Missouri. At the very LEAST, folks get a positive introduction to the Republican, which makes it more difficult for the Rats to scare people into voting with a "he's going to enslave your children" message.

Shreveport demographer Elliott Stonecipher says Jindal needs 15 percent of the black vote, coupled with 2 out of 3 white voters, to win.

That would be a Big win. Blanco needs 35% white and 90% black. Roughly.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Your friend and mine Vernon Robinson said that he's been told that the RNC is much more focused on doing what they know works-- reaching out to whites-- than the untested methods like really making Democrats fight for every block in minority neighborhoods. It's up to these individual candidates to be courageous and dare to fight for minority votes.

[GraniteStateConservative]

The editor of this article-- unless you typed it out-- needs to be fired. There are many typos in it.

Thanks for posting it, though. A great read.

[Theodore R.]

No, I didn't type out such a long article. The article appeared in several Louisiana newspapers. I don't know if some papers carried it with errors and others caught the errors or what.

[Sofa King]

Has Blanco done ANYTHING during this campaign other than attack Jindal? Because that's all I've seen from her so far.

[kittymyrib]

I respect John Breaux less knowing that he puts the Democrat Party above his state of Louisiana. Shame on him. It's just amazing that Louisiana has the chance to have such an outstanding young man as governor considering its pathetic political history. If they blow this, or let it be stolen from them, they deserve more of the same.

[Theodore R.]

I think Blanco intended just to strut across the stage and say, "Hello, this is Kathleen again. Time to vote for me again. This time for GOVERNOR. I am not running for lieutenant governor but for GOVERNOR. So everybody understand, "Kathleen for GOVERNOR, Kathleen for GOVERNOR. See you next election." Then comes this young Jindal guy who has her all flustered, so "King" Breaux has taken over to save Kathleen from utter ruin.

[Theodore R.]

To "King" Breaux Lousiana and the Democrat Party are synonymns. He has been loyal to "the democary" all of his 59 years, even before he understood what "democracy" requires and entails. He is LA's most popular politician of the last quarter-century. Usually LA people do what Breaux tells them to do.

[Plutarch]

Jindal sounds formidable. Makes you wonder how the Left will seek to destroy him. Can't call him stupid. Can't call him racist Southern white.

Can anyone fill us in on how the Dems are attacking him?

[Theodore R.]

The Democrats say that Jindal, 32, is too young and inexperienced, but they did not say that in 1978 of AR's then 32-year-old Bill Clinton, then winning his state's governorship for the first time.

The Democrats note that Jindal has never held an ELECTIVE office, whereas Blanco has held three elective offices.

The Democrats say that Jindal is a tool of unpopular outgoing Republican Gov. Mike Foster and that a Jindal administration would be a third term for Foster. Foster's son has flown Jindal around the state in the Fosters' private plane.

The Democrats say that LA people are too needy to vote Republican -- they need "Democrat programs" to survive.

The Democrats say that Jindal has not lived in rural areas (neither has Blanco) and that he cannot understand rural issues.

The Democrats say that Jindal is anti-sugar and will undermine the state's sugar industry, important in the south central part of the state.

The Democrats say that Jindal is "too right wing" and would support a strict social agenda of no abortions for any reason.

[nospinzone]

Has Blanco done ANYTHING during this campaign other than attack Jindal? Because that's all I've seen from her so far.

When she's not attacking Jindal, she usually talks about all the committees she'll form to study problems. Let's face it, you could fit her platform on a stick-it note. Her only recourse will be to get nastier, as I expect it will be in the coming week.

[Kuksool]

***The Democrats say that Jindal is anti-sugar***

Oh great, not that sugar nonsense again.

[Theodore R.]

Breaux is as committed to the LA "democracy" as Robert C. Byrd is to the WV version. Both will occasionally stray from the national party line in the interests of their home states, and Byrd is more liberal than Breaux. Byrd and Breaux both ended up firmly on the side of William Jefferson Blythe in a certain couple of votes against presidential impeachment conviction in the early part of 1999. WV and LA were strong Clinton states.

[Prolifeconservative]

You pretty much nailed Blanco's campaign - "Vote for me because I'm a Democrat."

Jindal, on the other hand, has worked extremely hard for every vote. He didn't give up on anyone. While Blanco took the the black vote for granted, Jindal was rolling up his sleeves meeting with that constituency.

Also, Jindal's campaign is issue oriented while Blanco's campaign motto is to divide and conquer.

Jindal Unites, end of story. I think he could possibly take 55% of the vote Saturday. However, the "sleaze-machine" has yet to kick in against Jindal. It's just a matter of time.

[Theodore R.]

Here is a message Monday from bobbyjindal.com

6 days to go and it all comes down to you.
It has been the most rewarding time in my life and I am honored to have you on our team. We are well-positioned to finish this election on Saturday with a solid victory.

Over the last four days though, my opponent has unleashed a torrential storm of false advertisements - via TV, radio and mail. It is nothing but a desperate attempt from the old political machine to hold onto power. I see this as a sad commentary on our state of politics, but I’m convinced the voters will reject these tactics on November 15.

Make no mistake, I will fight back and reject the politics of personal destruction so that we can move our state forward with a Bold New Vision to allow all of our children to find opportunity right here at home.

In the final week of our campaign, I’ll need your help and here is my challenge to you:

1. Vote for Bobby Jindal and encourage all of your friends and family to do the same. Don’t let anyone forget to vote! This race could be decided by a few people and EVERY VOTE COUNTS!

2. Contact my campaign (it’s easy, just reply to this email!) and join our Get-Out-The-Vote team, so you can help turn out Jindal supporters on Election Day.

3. Make a financial contribution so we can continue to have the resources to fight back the lies being leveled at us right now. We have come too far and worked too hard to watch this opportunity slip away. With time running out so quickly, I need you to click here and make a contribution to the campaign today.

This election is critical for the future of our state. Louisiana has the capability to be at the top of every good list in the country and with your help, we will make it happen.

Please do not let up now. You honor me with your support and I hope that I can count on you one more time. We have run an incredible race so far, but only with your help can we ensure victory on Saturday. Don’t let up for one moment. We are going to win! Are you ready??!?!?!