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| Indian-American Governor Suggested For Republican VP |
| 2008-03-09 |
| Somehow, being the first Indian-American and the youngest person ever elected to govern a US state wasn't enough. Within weeks of taking office, rising Republican star Piyush "Bobby" Jindal's name was thrown into the ring as a possible vice-presidential candidate by influential conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh. And some say the 36-year-old son of Punjabi immigrants could make a great president if he plays his cards right. A cowboy boot-wearing social conservative, Jindal built his political support among Christian conservatives and middle-class whites with his promises to cut taxes, tighten government spending and impose a total ban on abortions. Since taking office on January 14, the new governor is winning respect from blacks, liberals and other traditional Democrats with his ethics reforms and a vigorous approach to economic progress. "Bobby Jindal is striking a chord with Democrats. They're saying, 'I love Bobby Jindal and I am so glad he's our governor," said Democratic media consultant Cheron Brylski who calls Jindal "Louisiana's last hope." "There is also an overwhelming pride about having a minority governor," she said in an interview. Jindal's youthful enthusiasm and ability to bridge calcified divides of race and party has led some to see him as the Republican party's answer to Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama. "Jindal is not near the poet that Obama is -- yet -- but he has a great story to tell," said political consultant Allan Katz. Born in Baton Rouge in 1971 to recent immigrants from India's northern Punjab state, Jindal's career in this southern state once known for deep racial differences has been meteoric. His father, an engineer and one of nine children of a poor rural family, came to the United States so that his mother could continue her graduate work in nuclear physics. Jindal took easily to US culture. As a boy, he adopted his nickname "Bobby" from a character on "The Brady Bunch" television show. As a teenager, he converted to Roman Catholicism from Hinduism. A policy wonk and Rhodes scholar who graduated from Oxford University, Jindal was appointed secretary of Louisiana's health department at age 24. Three years later he was handed the helm of the state's higher education system after being tapped by President George W. Bush to head a national commission on medical insurance reform. In his first major political setback, Jindal was narrowly defeated by Kathleen Blanco when he ran for governor in 2003. But he was then elected to Congress in 2004 from a suburban New Orleans district, and won reelection in 2006, one year after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated New Orleans and put a harsh spotlight on state and local government incompetence -- opening the door for his second quest for the governor's office. Katz says he has not seen so much public enthusiasm for a governor in decades. "Bobby Jindal is off to a great start," he told AFP. "He knows how to build public support, work the media and to bring public pressure to get his stuff passed." For now, Jindal is focused on lifting the state of Louisiana from the barnacled bottom of national quality-of-life rankings. His first foray was to attack the culture of corruption which has long dominated Louisiana politics. Sunday, Jindal launches another special session aimed at improving infrastructure, cutting taxes on business, and boosting hurricane protection and coastal restoration as the legislature sorts out how to spend a 1.2 billion dollar surplus... India would utterly lose its marbles, in a good way, if he was selected for VP. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #7 don't need an Obama |
| Posted by: ed 2008-03-09 23:04 |
| #6 The Repubs don't an Obama. Let him prove his abilities and only then will he earn the right to run for higher office. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-03-09 22:58 |
| #5 Yeah - way way too early for this. Stupid Rush. If he can clean the Augean stables of Louisana, then he can walk on water. |
| Posted by: gromky 2008-03-09 22:26 |
| #4 2010? Ima afraid you're destined for some disappointment there.... :-) |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-03-09 20:25 |
| #3 Yeah Frank. Bobby is my 2010 candidate FOR President. Let's see how well he does in LA. From what I am reading, he is doing very well. It makes me feel good to have people like this in our midst. |
| Posted by: newc 2008-03-09 20:15 |
| #2 Louisiana needs him more. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2008-03-09 20:14 |
| #1 little too quick for Bobby - he's smart - his time will come. Let him clean up LA politics a bit first. I wouldn't mind Duncan Hunter or Haley Barbour as VP, though.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-03-09 18:27 |