No “Slumdog Sweep” For Jindal
Somewhere, S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford is smiling.
As no doubt is Sarah Palin, Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty and all the other Republicans whose names are being bandied about as possible 2012 presidential prospects.
The cause of their joy?
A Republican response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address delivered by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal that has been universally panned by conservative and liberal critics.
Viewed as one of the GOP’s rising stars, Jindal’s speech Tuesday night was billed as his coming out party since he missed the Republican National Convention last year to deal with Hurricane Gustav.
Some party.
From the New York Times:
Mr. Jindal, 37, the son of Indian immigrants, has been regarded as a potential presidential candidate in 2012 who would bring diversity and youth to a post-Obama Republican Party.
But the speech raised questions.
“This was the moment for him to seize the mantle with new ideas, new direction, and lay the groundwork for himself as a creative new thinker,†said Thomas Schaller, a political scientist at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. “He just used old platitudes and party clichés.â€
Later on in the article, one GOP consultant quoted by the Times referred to the speech as “a flop.”
Clearly, the Times isn’t going to cut Jindal a fair shake, nor is any outlet in the Obama-controlled MSM.
In fact, MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews was overheard on camera derisively uttering “Oh God” as Jindal approached the podium to give his response.
But bias or no bias, that doesn’t change the fact that Jindal’s speech was flat, regurgitated and uninspiring.
Republicans don’t need dusted off 1990’s talking points. Nor do they need to go to such lengths to see that they are delivered by a guy who looks an awful lot like somebody from the cast of Slumdog Millionaire.
The GOP needs tangible tax-cutting, debt-busting, entitlement-ending alternatives to Obama’s socialist vision for this country.
And anybody of any color articulating specific policy ideas to do those things – be it Jindal, Sanford, Palin, Pawlenty – will do just fine.
For the love of God, though, please stop reading off the same old sheet of music …
Comments
By FWFIV on February 26th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
I find it hypocritical for governors such as Jindal and Sanford to decry the stimulus bill, while every year those same govs. take more money from the federal government than they, as a state pay in. South Carolina and Louisiana are on welfare from the federal government, this is nothing new.
Now they want to refuse a small portion of the stimulus bill, but act as if this is some principled stand. It is biting the hand that feeds you and hoping the citizens are too ignorant to figure it out.
By Pat Hendrix on February 26th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Ah, that list is great. The Palin/Romney ticket would be comedy gold.
By roofus on February 26th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
DeMint! DeMint! DeMint!
By donny on February 26th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
“Somewhere” about Mark Sanford is correct. Where is Mark Sanford except on TV. If someone sees him in person, please tell him to come back to SC….we need some leadership.
DeMint for President 2012.
By confused on February 26th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
bobby jindal is, without question, smarter than every other person remotely on the radar for the GOP in the next election. he is so wicked smart it makes my head hurt. the smartest person i’ve ever known says jindal is the smartest person HE’S ever known.
now, he’s not good on t.v. or at least not yet. but there’s absolutely no question he can get his brain around this stuff better than anyone who’s got their hat near the ring at this point. he’s already got my vote for whatever he runs for. hell, he had that 10 years ago.
By Red Bank Bar on February 26th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Ah, Jindal-Palin, now there’s a ticket any Democrat could love. Two evolution-denying bible-thumpers. One who makes up Harry Lee (an unreconstructed racist) stories and one tax-cheat airhead. Both governors of welfare states who suck the blood from unionized blue states.
By Old Bike Dude on February 26th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Jindal…Sam Jaffe….no?
I mean how can you look at lil Piyush and not want to give him a bugle.
By Bard of Beaufain St on February 26th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
Pat,
We already have comedy gold!
“…a three letter word: J-O-B-S!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bq-eeWow_WU
Joe “The Fourth Stooge” Biden is Dan Quayle minus the good looks and humility.
By Dusk McCoy on February 26th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
FWFIV,
As a physician who has worked in rural South Carolina, I freqently encounter generations of Americans enslaved to Welfare. Our Welfare policies reward sloth and promiscuity and punish industry and personal responsibility. The destruction of the traditional family has been uniquely abetted by Great Society give-aways which have been remarkably successful in creating a culture of government dependence. The true victims are those ensared in a hopeless cage of eternal entitlement. How dare they ever wander off the plantation!
By James the Foot Soldier on February 26th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Following Barry after his lovefest would have been like following Bob Hope – seasoned politicos just didn’t want to go there…kudos to Bobby for taking the bullet – someone had to.
By Scott on February 26th, 2009 at 9:31 pm
I agree with the doctor above. I also see these people on welfare just continueing to make children over and over again for more paychecks! What a loss!
By Mab on February 26th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Right, James! Don’t hate him just because he is beautiful!
By Pat Hendrix on February 26th, 2009 at 11:57 pm
Ugh, Bard, if you consider that funny, I’ve got something so much better:
George W. Bush. You remember that guy? “Fool me once…”
Best,
Pat from Rutledge Avenue.
By Pat Hendrix on February 26th, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Hey, Scott, they abolished welfare in 1996. Try keeping up.
By Dusk McCoy on February 27th, 2009 at 8:41 am
Patty,
Welfare by any other name is still welfare.
By Toyota Kawaski on February 27th, 2009 at 9:32 am
Pat do you have a rainblow flag on Ruteledge Ave?
By roofus on February 27th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Welfare, by any other name is still welfare.
By Dusk McCoy on February 27th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Roof,
Did you just pull a Biden?
By Pat Hendrix on February 27th, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Toyota Kawaski
No, but I do have a size ten boot, you rice rocket riding wanker.
Yes, agreed, we have welfare. It was called TARP and it paid out a lot more than food stamps. Nevertheless, welfare as an entitlement program ended in 1996. Try keeping up.
By RedBank Bar on February 27th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I see Root-boy, Scott, et al’s hero, Jindal, has now admitted he made up the Harry Lee story.
George Bush with a tan, the lyin’ governor of Lousiana.
By malcolm on February 27th, 2009 at 6:24 pm
How’s this for transparency and openness?
The Obama Administration has annouced that it will permit photographs of flag-draped caskets of slain soldiers at Andrews AFB.
How about let’s see a genuine birth certificate, Obama?
By Red Bank Bar on February 28th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Malcolm the Tard: The state of Hawaii says they’re holding an original, unaltered birth certificate for your President.
You’d best be thankful there’s no IQ minimum to post here. Mid double figures seems to be your limit.
Bet you’re a Faux News watcher too.
By Pat Hendrix on February 28th, 2009 at 3:27 pm
This website, both the blogs writer and all the commentors, are like a right-wing software that simply repeats the same tired talking points the Republicans use in their media echo chamber. Birth certificate (yamn, he won, get over it), welfare, socialism (sorry, progressive tax rates have been in place for nearly a century), budget deficits (10 trillion of the current 11 trillion debt amassed by Republicans), etc. Get a new playbook, try reading, try getting an idea. Otherwise, you and Joe the Plumber will be wandering around the wilderness for two decades.