Posted on 10/22/2008 4:19:01 PM PDT by Dawnsblood
On its face, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal's decision to appear in an ad endorsing state Treasurer John Kennedy in his challenge to Sen. Mary Landrieu isn't that big a surprise.
After all, Jindal is the Republican governor of the state and Kennedy is his party's Senate nominee.
But, those familiar with Jindal's career -- marked almost entirely by a desire to avoid the appearance of partisanship -- see the endorsement as a sign of Jindal's long term ambitions, ambitions that could include a White House bid down the line.
They point out that this is the first race Jindal has waded into since becoming governor in 2007 (he took a pass on endorsing in any of the primary runoffs that year), and that by aggressively vouching for Kennedy he is putting his popularity and reformer brand to the test in a highly visible way.
Jindal is, without question, seen as a rising star within the national GOP. He won the governor's office in 2007 without a runoff (a seemingly impossible feat for a Republican just a few years ago) and those familiar with Jindal's poll numbers insist he is among the most popular governors in the country -- with those thinking favorably outpacing those who regard him unfavorably by an eight to one margin. He also has gained attention for pushing a series of ethics reforms designed to clean up the notoriously dirty state government in the Bayou State.
(Excerpt) Read more at voices.washingtonpost.com ...
Yes, he can certainly wait. Having two young, bright conservative possibles for president is a whole lot better than having none, which is where we were before McCain tapped Palin.
There has been a shortage of decent candidates for POTUS in both parties, ever since Reagan left office.
Ok. I took it another way.
HI NEWBIE!!!!! You must be REALLY young if you don’t think Jindal is a conservative.....
You are right, Ann. He is indeed a strong conservative. We’re proud to have him as Governor.
It’s 2008, and you’re already complaining about possible 2012 candidates? Are you really a conservative? This kind of incessant complaining is what hurt us this year.
folks here were touting Jindal as POTUS material the second he got elected...even before actually when he lost first time out
same as they do Michael Steele
and they did Watts
all of whom are less qualified than 15-20 nationally known white male GOP stalwarts
you can’t tell me it’s not about a non-Euro candidate to a degree
I’m pretty young. But not much younger than Jindal.
I’d rather have Richard Shelby or Thad McCotter.
Jindal is brilliant, conservative, accomplished, and telegenic. He is extremely smart on his feet - as good as Reagan or better in a debate.
Jindal is head and shoulders over everyone, Palin included.
Jindal will be president one day in our future.
Agreed, agreed, agreed, agreed!
Bobby Jindal will be the Ronald Reagan of the 21st Century.
Reagan was working with a democrat congress headed by Tip O’Neil. The Republicans owned the Senate which gave him some leverage.
a president mccain will have to deal with a dem congress and Senate.
yes, he is the Sharp one. You don’t have to worry about charlie gibson or katie kouric interviews.
Name those white male GOP stalwarts. I would bet that a few years ago that list would have included guys like Larry Craig. Conservatives have been sick of the do-nothing party line Republicans for a long time. That's why new candidates who can actually accomplish things get such attention.
Bobby Jindal has first rate reform ideas, conservative bona fides, and political talent. Name me those 15-20 white guys who have all three. At least 15.
I'll start you off: Mark Sanford, Jeb Bush (unfortunately his family name drags him down), Tom Coburn. Now you.
1) Haley Barbour
2) Jeff Sessions
3) Zach Wamp
4) Jim DeMint
5) J Gresham Barrett
6)Marsha Blackburn
7)John Cornyn
8)Eric Cantor
9) Mitch Daniels
10) Tim Pawlenty
11)John Huntsman
12)Trent Franks
13) Duncan Hunter
14) Tom Tancredo
15) Newt
16) Can DeLay come back?
17) Mark Sanford is great but you can have Jeb....I’m done with the Bushes except the model fashion designer niece...lol...if she happened to call
I could go on and on.....I like Jindal but he gets a lot of play for his skin tone. It just seems many so called conservatives are stuck at the same RPM on the identity politics game as the Dems are.
I would support him of course but I just don’t have this urge to support non white candidates for the sake of posturing nor redress.
I am not big on gender picks either but Palin struck me as the most genuine national conservative since Magnus and therefore I unabashedly love her to be candid.
I can keep going on GOP cracker conservatives with good voting records and ideas...hard to say how cool some of them are media wise since they get little airtime as critters or governors.
Google Jindal and count the hits.
The Google say Huntsman or Mitch Daniels, both serious conservatives and see who gets media love.
Is there an ACU rating for governors?
Andy Harris
He beat the rino Gilcrist in Maryland’s 1st district primary and is now looking to beat the dem Kratovil.
He’s a Pro-Life conservative doctor.
sounds good to me...i just picked that list from memory and assisted memory..i am old and faded a mite to be honest
don’t get me wrong I like Jindal too I just don’t have political jungle fever or in this case masala fever
isn’t he Catholic actually though to be accurate?...a convert?
damn good idea in LouZeeAnna
McCuda08-—’12?!?
GOP 2.0
Palin/Allen West’12-—’16
Jindal — Cabinet Sec.
Ralph Peters — Def. Sec. or Sec. of State
West/Jindal’20-—’24
the Deets
“Reagan was bi-partisan. But there’s a difference: he got the dems to vote for conservative policies. McCain gets himself to vote for democrat policies.”
Hopefully, his stellar decision of Mrs. Palin as VP is an overt sign of his Conservative bone fides and thereby will respect the bases’ absolutist position on border security.
I’m optimistic.
McCain is a gambler and I want to postulate that he took the long view on his career after his Keating Exoneration.
I think he truly realizes the evil he is up against.
His time in Hanoi clarified that issue for him.
I look at it this way, by being a pain in d’ arse to the GOP all these years, he has gained overall political muscle and will have more latitude in getting conservative, impactful change.
Like the FairTax, once the border is secure.
Plus, it may have been a survival technique in a den of democrat vipers; such as the Senate is these days when left is right, up is down, and cat are sleeping with dogs.
Like I said, I’m optimistic.
No matter what you say, has given GOP2.0 a rather spectacular set of legs.
McCuda08
the Deets
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