Bobby Jindal: No Plans for Bush to Visit Louisiana

Shreveport, LA, Times ^ | 10-11-03 | Hill, John

[Theodore R.]

BATON ROUGE - Republican gubernatorial candidate Bobby Jindal has no plans to ask President George W. Bush to come to Louisiana for a fund-raiser or a campaign swing.

Friday, Jindal declined to discuss any insider talk about whether Bush's visit would help or hurt his Republican campaign against Democrat Kathleen Blanco of Lafayette in the Nov. 15 runoff.

[Theodore R.]

Another factor hurting Jindal is Lafayette. This is one of the Republican strongholds of Louisiana, but the Democrat chairman and the gubernatorial nominee are both from there this year. There are few other parts of the state where Jindal can make up for an expected loss or a weak showing in Lafayette Parish.

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[Theodore R.]

I would think that the apparent reluctance to get Bush involved in the latest Louisiana campaign is an after effect of the losing 2002 senatorial general election between Mary Landrieu and Suzanne Terrell. Some people will vote Democrat to protest the president's involvement in the race. Last time, both Bushes, 41 and 43, came in, and so did Vice President Cheney. All to no effect.

[Kuksool]

***some Louisiana TV stations shows 48 percent rated Bush's job performance positively but 48 percent rated the president negatively. Prior to the war, Bush's approval rating ran in the high 60s. Among whites, Bush had a 57 percent positive rating and a 41 percent negative rating. Among blacks, 7 out of 10 - 69 percent - rated Bush negatively and only 25 percent gave the president a positive rating.***

Bush having an evenly split approval/disapproval rating is not a good sign for him in the Bayou State. If these numbers hold up in November 2004, then it could be possible for a Far Left RAT like John Kerry or Howard Dean to actually carry LA, especially if the RAT candidate promises universal healthcare and living wages for all. Apparently, Huey Long's idea of "Share the wealth, every man a king" is still embraced by the residents of the Bayou State.

[Theodore R.]

People in LA do not understand that this gubernatorial general election is also about the Breaux Senate seat. When Blanco wins the governorship, Breaux will retire from the Senate, and she will name his chosen Rep. Chris John as the successor. This is a 2-for-1 election, but LA voters do not understand. Their civic education is often lacking.

[Republican Red]

Gee I thought Jindal was President Bush's personal 'Do Boy'!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/998777/posts?page=6#6

[Kuksool]

On a positive note, 25% of Bayou blacks approval of Bush's job performance. This is a huge improvement from the 6% of the LA black vote that Bush received in 2000. Hopefully one day, the GOP will no longer conjure up memories of David Duke among LA blacks.

[Kuksool]

A vote for Kathy Blanco is a vote for a Tom Daschle power grab in the Senate. However, I imagine LA voters would welcome Chris John being appointed Senator if John Breaux speaks glowingly about him.

[Theodore R.]

People in Louisiana for the most part do not know who either Bill Frist or Tom Daschle are. Most if asked could not write a couple of sentences explaining the role of a Senate majority leader or a minority leader. They just know that Breaux "looks after them" or "is on our side."

But they will flock to Representative John for senator if he is the Breaux-Blanco choice. Republicans may not even be able to find a credible challenger to John in 2004.

Similarly, I would imagine that if Senator Byrd decided to retire early (which he will never do), WV people would flock to his recommended replacement.

[JohnnyZ]

A few corrections:

"... LA voters do not understand. Their civic education is often lacking."

"Most if asked could not write a couple of sentences explaining the role of a Senate majority leader or a minority leader."

Just kidding Loosianans! Y'all are great people! And you have a great foosball team!

[Theodore R.]

25% of Bayou blacks approval of Bush's job performance

A job approval rating of course does not translate into a vote for the President in this case. LA blacks are among the most Democrat electorate anywhere in the country. Donna Brazile, a quite intelligent woman and the chairman of the Gore-LIEberman campaign, will pull out all stops to carry LA for Blanco.