Bobby Jindal for Vice President?

May 23, 2008 by 28 Comments

I am greatly encouraged that John McCain has invited Bobby Jindal to his Memorial Day cookout and vice-presidential talent show.

The former Louisiana congressman and currently governor of that state has been hailed as among the best and the brightest of a new generation of conservative politicians. The son of immigrants from India, Jindal is a convert to Christianity (of the Roman Catholic variety) who describes himself as “100%” pro-life. Those in the know describe him as brilliant and effective. He is also a great campaigner, re-elected to Congress with 88% of the vote and taking the governorship away from the notorious Louisiana Democratic machine. Rush Limbaugh has gone so far as to hail him as “the next Ronald Reagan.”

If McCain were to pick Jindal, it would put another “person of color” on the ballot. The only strike against him would be his youth (he is only 36) and inexperience (he has only been governor for a few months, though he has served two terms in the House and has worked with other government agencies). Still, he is more experienced than Barack Obama!

Filed Under: Politics 28 Comments

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About Gene Veith

Professor of Literature at Patrick Henry College, the Director of the Cranach Institute at Concordia Theological Seminary, a columnist for World Magazine and TableTalk, and the author of 18 books on different facets of Christianity & Culture.

  • http://necessaryroughness.org Dan at Necessary Roughness

    I do not want Bobby Jindal for Veep in 2008. Jindal is a class act and plans to do great things to turn around Louisiana. He just got elected on an ethics and anti-corruption platform, and it looks strange for a state to depend on Jindal for that and then have Jindal leave.

    I love what Jindal says. He is a good model for the next Republican party. I would rather he build his resume in Louisiana, and after that state lines out, then pursue the national platform.

    Please, Jindal, don’t accept! :)

  • http://necessaryroughness.org Dan at Necessary Roughness

    I do not want Bobby Jindal for Veep in 2008. Jindal is a class act and plans to do great things to turn around Louisiana. He just got elected on an ethics and anti-corruption platform, and it looks strange for a state to depend on Jindal for that and then have Jindal leave.

    I love what Jindal says. He is a good model for the next Republican party. I would rather he build his resume in Louisiana, and after that state lines out, then pursue the national platform.

    Please, Jindal, don’t accept! :)

  • Bill

    I’m not sure Jindal wants to hook his horse to the McCain wagon. It could be dangerous for his future. Look for McCain to stay with a loyal RINO (Republican In Name Only). The Govs from Florida and Minnesota seem like good choices.

    I’m waiting to see who the Libertarians nominate in Denver this weekend before I plug my nose and vote for McCain.

  • Bill

    I’m not sure Jindal wants to hook his horse to the McCain wagon. It could be dangerous for his future. Look for McCain to stay with a loyal RINO (Republican In Name Only). The Govs from Florida and Minnesota seem like good choices.

    I’m waiting to see who the Libertarians nominate in Denver this weekend before I plug my nose and vote for McCain.

  • Conibear Trapp

    I agree with the previous commenter who says that Jindal needs to stay in Louisiana. They need him desparately right now and he needs the experience. He is the future but not the present.

    The only upside I can see is that Jindal as VP would position him well for a run at the top slot after McCain decides not to run for reelection.

  • Conibear Trapp

    I agree with the previous commenter who says that Jindal needs to stay in Louisiana. They need him desparately right now and he needs the experience. He is the future but not the present.

    The only upside I can see is that Jindal as VP would position him well for a run at the top slot after McCain decides not to run for reelection.

  • Joe

    Jindal is terrific but he is young and I think he needs more experience. What I would like to see is him named as the chair of the platform committee at the convention.

  • Joe

    Jindal is terrific but he is young and I think he needs more experience. What I would like to see is him named as the chair of the platform committee at the convention.

  • http://jdueck.net Joel

    The last thing Louisiana needs right now is for Jindal to be packed off to DC to become another cog in the dysfunctional, ineffective national GOP apparatus.

  • http://jdueck.net Joel

    The last thing Louisiana needs right now is for Jindal to be packed off to DC to become another cog in the dysfunctional, ineffective national GOP apparatus.

  • http://www.cockahoop.com/ tODD

    Great, another Muslim gunning for executive office.

  • http://www.cockahoop.com/ tODD

    Great, another Muslim gunning for executive office.

  • Joe

    Nice pull tODD (btw – “nice pull” is a compliment where I come from)

  • Joe

    Nice pull tODD (btw – “nice pull” is a compliment where I come from)

  • Jonathan

    I too would rather see Jindal stay in Louisiana, but as a VP candidate he would make Obama look stale and boring. Jindal would be the real change agent seeing as how he is a real firecracker and has already accomplished much in his relatively short professional life. However since he already has great healthcare, education, and legislative experience, a couple of terms as governor would really round out his resume and make him impossible to beat in a future Presidential contest.

  • Jonathan

    I too would rather see Jindal stay in Louisiana, but as a VP candidate he would make Obama look stale and boring. Jindal would be the real change agent seeing as how he is a real firecracker and has already accomplished much in his relatively short professional life. However since he already has great healthcare, education, and legislative experience, a couple of terms as governor would really round out his resume and make him impossible to beat in a future Presidential contest.

  • Don S

    “Nice pull” tODD. Except Jindal was Hindu.

  • Don S

    “Nice pull” tODD. Except Jindal was Hindu.

  • http://www.cockahoop.com/ tODD

    Don S (@9), yes, I know. It was a poke at those persisting in believing that Obama is a Muslim. You know, because he has a foreign name, is of foreign extraction, etc. — just like Jindal.

  • http://www.cockahoop.com/ tODD

    Don S (@9), yes, I know. It was a poke at those persisting in believing that Obama is a Muslim. You know, because he has a foreign name, is of foreign extraction, etc. — just like Jindal.

  • Susan aka organshoes

    Actually, what Jindal ISN’T is Hindu.
    I know he’s effective in La already, because my liberal relatives living there are nearly in tears over him.

  • Susan aka organshoes

    Actually, what Jindal ISN’T is Hindu.
    I know he’s effective in La already, because my liberal relatives living there are nearly in tears over him.

  • http://www.bikebubba.blogspot.com Bike Bubba

    Former Hindu, now Catholic, I believe. Good to see that he’s bringing liberals to tears.

    Personally, I’d love to have someone sane like Jindal bring McCain to a bit of sanity, but seeing as he’s such a good guy, it wouldn’t be charitable of me to wish DC on him unless he sees it as his calling.

  • http://www.bikebubba.blogspot.com Bike Bubba

    Former Hindu, now Catholic, I believe. Good to see that he’s bringing liberals to tears.

    Personally, I’d love to have someone sane like Jindal bring McCain to a bit of sanity, but seeing as he’s such a good guy, it wouldn’t be charitable of me to wish DC on him unless he sees it as his calling.

  • Bror Erickson

    I don’t think it helped Obama at all to squelch the rumors of Him being muslim when the Black Panthers (of the nation of Islam) were doing security detail for his former pastor at the infamous press conference. I have to say that I thought that was rather peculiar, knowing that Obama professes to be Christian. (Mind you I am not calling that profession into question, but it did make me wonder a little more about his pastor.)

  • Bror Erickson

    I don’t think it helped Obama at all to squelch the rumors of Him being muslim when the Black Panthers (of the nation of Islam) were doing security detail for his former pastor at the infamous press conference. I have to say that I thought that was rather peculiar, knowing that Obama professes to be Christian. (Mind you I am not calling that profession into question, but it did make me wonder a little more about his pastor.)

  • http://pursuingholiness.com Laura

    “I know he’s effective in La already, because my liberal relatives living there are nearly in tears over him.”

    Heh. I wish!! I’ve been a Jindal voter for various offices for years, but I’m becoming quite disenchanted with him as Governor. He’s talking a good game, but when you get down to it, not much is changing. For example, his much vaunted special session for ethics reform resulted in tougher-sounding, but basically unenforceable laws. He declared a state hiring freeze – similarly toothless. He’s demanding $240 million more in entitlement spending – and not offering any budget cuts anywhere else. He first refused to consider a tax cut, and when enough pressure was put on him, he finally agreed to support one, but not until 2009. And he’s fighting tooth and nail for his office and all his top staffers to be exempted from “sunshine” laws re: their records.

    Mind, he’s still better than Blanco… and if he jumps ship I’ll be crushed because Mitch Landreiu (Sen. Mary Landrieu’s baby bro) will take his place. But Jindal has been a disappointment in a lot of respects.

  • http://pursuingholiness.com Laura

    “I know he’s effective in La already, because my liberal relatives living there are nearly in tears over him.”

    Heh. I wish!! I’ve been a Jindal voter for various offices for years, but I’m becoming quite disenchanted with him as Governor. He’s talking a good game, but when you get down to it, not much is changing. For example, his much vaunted special session for ethics reform resulted in tougher-sounding, but basically unenforceable laws. He declared a state hiring freeze – similarly toothless. He’s demanding $240 million more in entitlement spending – and not offering any budget cuts anywhere else. He first refused to consider a tax cut, and when enough pressure was put on him, he finally agreed to support one, but not until 2009. And he’s fighting tooth and nail for his office and all his top staffers to be exempted from “sunshine” laws re: their records.

    Mind, he’s still better than Blanco… and if he jumps ship I’ll be crushed because Mitch Landreiu (Sen. Mary Landrieu’s baby bro) will take his place. But Jindal has been a disappointment in a lot of respects.


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