Video: Jindal explains fiscal responsibility at Obama summit
posted at 5:50 pm on February 23, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Want to know why Republicans are so high on Bobby Jindal? Watch him take two minutes to stake out the kind of economic policy territory that the GOP couldn’t find with both hands and a flashlight in two successive national elections:
Jindal sounds poised, informed, and reasonable while eviscerating the Porkulus bill. Instead of working explicitly from a philosophical point of view, he rattles off the facts of Porkulus to establish the basis for his fiscal conservatism. In doing so, Jindal enjoys much more credibility as a critic of Obama’s economic plans — and forces Obama to defend his plans on the specifics rather than Chicken Little diatribes.
Can Jindal maintain this poise and eloquence for the next four years and become the voice of the loyal opposition? If so, I can’t wait for 2012.
Blowback
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I’ve only read 1 page of comments, but I am becoming disheartened by some of you here at hotair… a couple of points:
1) It is POSSIBLE to like 2 or more of our prospective candidates, right? I like Palin AND Jindal. There is nothing wrong with this.
2) I think it may be better, logistically, to run Palin in 2012 and save Jindal for 2016… use our two big guns in back to back cycles…. Jindal benefits more by waiting, because of age, imho…. unless Obama is abysmal with approval in the 30s…. then it’s a free-for-all in the GOP.
3) Palin/Jindal 2012 could be a slam dunk
4) RE: Jindal’s Religious issues… he should brush off the exorcism as a curiosity of his… an educational experience per se…. and he should NOT shrink away from the creationism…. the media and the left will try to nail him on it, but this country is overwhelmingly Christian, to some degree, and it probably won’t make a big difference except to the fringe left that would never vote for him anyway. He will look WORSE if he tries to spin it somehow… just admit and refuse to apologize for it.
5) Areas for improvement over the next 2-3 years:
Palin: Needs more facts at her fingertips.
Jindal: Needs more personality.
Neither can’t be overcome
Conservatives should not be barking at each other over these two, or others such as Sanford. We should be grateful that we may have a handful of conservatives to choose from in 2012 instead of the crap we had in 2008.
BPD on February 23, 2009 at 8:30 PM
The GOP is a worthless party. That anyone here is impressed with what Jindal said in this video shows how worthless it is. Jindal did not object to the premise of the bill at all in his problems that he listed. He simply pointed out that some of the stuff in the bill isn’t what he would consider a stimulant to the economy. He in no way objected to the premise that the government is in any way authorized to spend money on economy management. Or did I hear him mention that spending won’t work – Keynesian economics has been overwhelmingly discredited. Hoover and FDR caused and prolonged the Great Depression. I never heard him mention that it was government interference in the Free Market that caused this mess in the first place.
All I heard was a politician speak carefully so as not to hurt his future political ambitions. How sorry it is that people here are salivating over themselves to proclaim him the Republican’s savior. I reiterate – the Republican Party is worthless if this is the best that they have to offer.
King of the Britons on February 23, 2009 at 8:30 PM
This guy is grandstanding because he is going to run in 2012. Obama burned him today in his speech by making a thinly-veiled reference to this. I think it’s inconceivable that he puts furthering his career over the welfare of his constituents. Barack’s gonna smash this guy if he runs.
dcwvu on February 23, 2009 at 8:34 PM
Awww seriously is he really a creationist, in all seriousness that’s a massive dissapointment for me… shoulda known he was too good to be true, i suppose big picture wise it dosn’t matter tho i’d still vote for him.
Equanim1ty found on February 23, 2009 at 8:35 PM
I really like Jindal AND I really like Palin. Jindal would have a couple of things going for him;
He’s not a white guy, or a woman, so it would be hard for the press or any liberal (maybe redundant)to really go after him.
Star20 on February 23, 2009 at 8:36 PM
Agree, call me naive but i really think that the MSM(ugh can’t believe i just used that acronym) will have a tough time destroying this guy’s credibility in the same way Palin was completely undermined(she didn’t help herself btw, i mean who can’t think of a newspaper off the top of their heads).
Equanim1ty found on February 23, 2009 at 8:41 PM
Me, too. I’m sure Palin is a sharp as a tack, but I think Jindal appears smarter by far.
jgapinoy on February 23, 2009 at 8:42 PM
Palin/Jindal 2012! Book it!
pastorjim67 on February 23, 2009 at 8:42 PM
This may be sacrilege considering what has been said so far. But I like Palin and Jindal. At this point, Palin a bit more, but that could change. We have a long ways to go.
V15J on February 23, 2009 at 8:43 PM
Yeah, like the left didn’t go into the gutter after Colin and Condi?
Blackacre on February 23, 2009 at 8:44 PM
Yeah, but Charles Johnson thinks that this guy is a nutball because he believes in creationism.
john1schn on February 23, 2009 at 8:49 PM
They will go after Jindal even more because he’s not a white guy. That’s what they did with Palin. Dems have have pegged the Republicans as the party of old white guys and anyone who proves differently must be attacked. Why do you think they hated Palin? A conservative female who isn’t for pro-choice! Their head spun the moment they saw her.
terryannonline on February 23, 2009 at 8:51 PM
What version of creationism does Jindal subscribe, please god dont tell me it’s the version that says the earth is only 5000 years old and dinosaurs didnt exist
Equanim1ty found on February 23, 2009 at 8:51 PM
It’s great to see that real conservatives are back- the ones who were nowhere to be found when Bush was spending this country into a massive hole. I may disagree about the stimulus package, in that no Congress is going to pass a massive bill without some pork, and that every state seriously needs stimulus to prevent a possible financial calamity. But it’s good to see people on the right, like Jindal, finally speak up and criticize deficit spending.
bayam on February 23, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Google it. I’m too lazy to paste the info.
/sarc (see your earlier post).
cs89 on February 23, 2009 at 9:02 PM
As you might perceive, I live in the state of Louisiana. And, just as Obama, he is a great talker.
We here in the state of Louisiana have been duped! He can talk the talk, but he can not walk the walk. All of his so called ‘tax breaks’..well, From 2008 to now, my taxes have not gone down one cent! The young newly educated citizens are still running from this state like there is no tomorrow. So we have a dwindling population of educated ppl, while at the same time being told that his policies would change that! Not to mention his ‘freeze’ of hiring government employees…he expanded government roles by 4200!!!!!
All you are fawning over here is the republican version of Obama.
There I said it!
I am truly upset by his double talking. In fact we have a name for him ( that applies to Obama also). Sometimes you see Governor Bobby, other times you see Campaigning Bobby.
Lately it has been Campaigning Bobby.
Please ppl, listen to me. This guy is not the guy you want. He is the same double talking politician that Obama is.
lsutiger on February 23, 2009 at 9:04 PM
Jindal is a Catholic and the Church’s position on Creationism is very narrowly defined. In essence, we must avoid the idea that men are evolved differently but we are not held to a strict literal interpretation of Genesis and are free to contemplate other theories for the origin and development of life. It was, after all, a Catholic physicist priest who came up with the Big Bang theory, which if you think about it, is just a scientific rendering of creation ex nihlo.
It must be said that the Church also does not discourage a literal interpretation of Genesis either, but there is no reason to assume that Jindal denies the existence of, for example, dinosaurs.
StubbleSpark on February 23, 2009 at 9:04 PM
Google it. I’m too lazy to paste the info.
/sarc (see your earlier post).
cs89 on February 23, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Equanim1ty found on February 23, 2009 at 9:09 PM
The republican base is gonna love Piyush!
benny shakar on February 23, 2009 at 9:11 PM
I don’t live in La., but that is my gut feeling as well. I still don’t see what everyone is so excited about from that video.
genso on February 23, 2009 at 9:11 PM
And not once did he say…………..
Seven Percent Solution on February 23, 2009 at 9:12 PM
or wink at anyone
Equanim1ty found on February 23, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Actually, viewing this video of Jindal talking about Intelligent Design. He’s arguing that local schools should decide for themselves what kind of curriculum they should teach in their classrooms. That is fine with me.
terryannonline on February 23, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Indian, creationist, excorcist.
Yeah right.
Good luck with that.
getalife on February 23, 2009 at 9:13 PM
Palin 2012
Captain America on February 23, 2009 at 9:15 PM
that is quite enough of the family pictures
Jamson64 on February 23, 2009 at 9:15 PM
I can live with that
Equanim1ty found on February 23, 2009 at 9:19 PM
This is the kind of foolish remark that could doom the GOP to permanent obsolescence. Of course one has to have the facts at hand. But they are simply raw data unless they are organized by a coherent philosophy. The pragmatism this comment displays is exactly what is causing the Right to lose over the long run. A consistent, comprehensive philosophy will always drive events over the long term. Pragmatism necessarily means intellectual chaos and that does not inspire or guide people or win elections.
JDPerren on February 23, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Have Jindal or Palin ever been community organizers or been Senators? Hmmm…..HMMMMMM???
What do they know about running anything?
As for ‘fiscal responsibility’ how about not spending hundreds of billions on bull$hit?
Dr. ZhivBlago on February 23, 2009 at 9:31 PM
I think the more important point is that we’re looking at an Indian guy talking with a southern accent. Awesome.
Seriously though, do you really think we’re going to be around in 2012, Ed?
RightWinged on February 23, 2009 at 9:33 PM
I really really want a Palin/Jindal ticket in 2012.
To all the Palin haters out there, deal with it. She is loved by far too many conservatives. Don’t alienate part of the base just because you believe what the MSM have been feeding you. If you actually heard her speak at a rally, you would know that she is very articulate, very persuasive and very real. Why do you think the MSM were trying to tear her down every second they got.
Jindal is great. He has taken a Democratic stronghold in the South and turned it around. People will see his track record and know he is legit.
Don’t hate on either of these two just because you see some of the same qualities in them that Obama has; good public speaking, eloquence and intelligence (although with Obama that has yet to be seen). Palin and Jindal are the future of the party, deal with it.
Zombiehero on February 23, 2009 at 9:45 PM
You say that now – but after he gets the “Palin-Treatment” from the MSM (and he will) – wonder if you’ll dump him like a bad penny the way most conservative elitists dumped her?
Bobby Jindal is my governor – he’s the smartest man in the world actually – he would make a great President. But he is not the most polished speaker on a daily basis – though he has his days. He WILL have lots of good speeches and interviews (as Palin did) and he WILL have a Katie Couric moment (as Palin did).
If you think that Jindal is a silver bullet – think again. He’ll be 41 when he runs against Obama (or Hillary – depending on how badly the economy goes). He WILL be labeled as “soup not quite ready” by the MSM. He WILL be labeled a “GOP Gimmick” – for his Indian ancestry and Southern accent.
The real enemy is the MSM – and if you folks are going to allow the MSM to tar and feather your candidates without taking them on directly – then Jindal will fare NO BETTER than Palin did.
FACT.
HondaV65 on February 23, 2009 at 9:54 PM
I’m not sure. I saw him on Meet the Press and he handled some tough questions just fine. Really there are very few MSM news programs that are tougher than MTP. I like Gov. Palin but I’m not sure she would have handled the questions as well.
terryannonline on February 23, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Terry, you just broke my Understatement Meter!
Gov. palin is too busy reading newspapers and magazines (“all of them”) to appear on any of the adult political programs.
benny shakar on February 23, 2009 at 10:02 PM
If we are setting the standard of excellence on how they perform on a TV program lets just fold up and go home now. American Idol is on Tuesdays & Wednesdays at 8pm on FOX.
portlandon on February 23, 2009 at 10:02 PM
Thats right Benny. I saw them do a segment about you on America’s Most Wanted. John Walsh had a very convincing re enactment portryal of you digging through the Palin Families trash. How is the restraining order working out?
portlandon on February 23, 2009 at 10:05 PM
I was responding to the comment that Jindal will have some Palin ‘moments.’ I was just disagreeing. I never said we should elect a candidate on their performance on TV.
terryannonline on February 23, 2009 at 10:05 PM
Don’t get me wrong – I love the man and would like to see him as Pres one day – I also think Palin would make a great President.
Bobby Jindal’s strength is … like I said earlier – he’s the smartest man in the world and he is an EXPERT (I can’t emphasize that enough) … he’s an EXPERT administrator and coordinator. He knows the workings of government inside and out. After Katrina – it was Jindal that did the hard work of gaining door-to-door support on capital hill for rebuilding Louisiana (while Mary Landrieu cried on TV and blamed Bush and Vitter was busy with his prostitutes).
But no man is perfect – as GREAT, really GREAT as Jindal is – his public speaking sucks quite frankly. He sounds like he’s talking to third graders when he’s making speeches to the masses. He does fine in a question / answer setting with intellectuals – but his tone with the masses reminds me of my elementary school teachers – nice – but very paternalistic.
And don’t think that ANY chink in his armor won’t be exploited to full effect by the MSM – it will be exploited, overblown – and just like with Palin – conservatives in the chattering class will begin to buy into the MSM mantra.
Just wait – you’ll see.
HondaV65 on February 23, 2009 at 10:06 PM
Your right. My apologies.
portlandon on February 23, 2009 at 10:08 PM
To be honest I’ve only seen Jindal in press conferences and media interviews so you may very well be right.
terryannonline on February 23, 2009 at 10:11 PM
You got that right! A first step might be to support the John Ziegler documentary, Media Malpractice.
Christian Conservative on February 23, 2009 at 10:12 PM
Exactly my thoughts after seeing him on MTP this past Sunday. In this clip, he seems way too gracious to the President, and unwilling to call him out on anything.
I hope we can find a more worthy candidate for 2012.
FuriousAmerican on February 23, 2009 at 10:14 PM
I, too, am from Louisiana and have witnessed first hand the difference between a politician and a leader. Gov. Blanco was AWOL and crying during Katrina. MSM successfuly spun our Democratic duo (Blanco and Nagin) into victim-heroes and tarred Bush with their incompetence.
Though it didn’t get the National publicity of Katrina, Gustav was vastly more destructive to a much larger land mass and population. Jindal lead a devastated populace similarily to Rudi’s leadership of NY during 9/11. If you didn’t respect him prior to Gustav, anyone paying attention, respected him afterwards. He fired off facts as quickly as he fired dept heads that misinformed him of their preparedness prior to the storm.
I’m grateful that the GOP has two with the vision and leadership I believe we’ll need in 2012 – Palin/Jindal. I believe Palin would kick more ass and take names though. I believe Palin is as fed up with the Washington as usual policies as the rest of us. If George Washington were alive today to see what we’ve allowed to happen to this Country, he’d demand that his name be removed from that cesspool.
SoldiersMom on February 23, 2009 at 10:15 PM
Mr. Morrissey:
What do you make of the criticism leveled at Gov. Jindal by Little Green Footballs, especially here, and echoed at the Volokh Conspiracy today?
Anton
AntonK on February 23, 2009 at 10:17 PM
Obama: biracial, socialist, egotist.
I don’t have a problem with Obama being biracial. You got a problem with Jindal being Indian?
Jindal isn’t an exorcist, nor has he claimed to be. Nor does he espouse a 6,500 year old earth/literal seven day creation. But don’t let your hate stop you from spreading the smear.
Pope Linus on February 23, 2009 at 10:21 PM
Question: If Jindal squeaks out a primary win over Sarah Palin in the primaries, would he choose her for the veep spot… again? Thoughts?
I’m a Palin supporter all the way and will vote for her in the primaries in 2012, but I’m interested to see what others think.
hockey2k5 on February 23, 2009 at 10:21 PM
A Palin/Jindal ticket would totally rock.
1) Evangelical and Catholic vote.
2) Women and minority.
3) Leadership and guts of Palin + policy wonkish skills of Jindal.
4) Youth vote.
This ticket would spank Obama. Expect Obama to put beg Hillary to join his ticket in 2012 after he throws Biden under the bus.
I’m gonna buy that new Mustang and detail “SarahCuda” on one side and “Bobby J” on the other and peel out on the capital Mall.
I would most definitely run a ponzi scheme and secretly (and illegally) donate the money to the campaign under lots of great names.
Things are looking up for conservatism.
See you guys at CPAC.
Sapwolf on February 23, 2009 at 10:22 PM
^^LOL … hadn’t seen that but you are dead on – it has already begun.
Look … if Republicans want Bobby Jindal in 2012 – well, unlike McCain … Jindal is a man I can get behind and SUPPORT – and to the hilt.
But I just don’t think Conservatives realize who the enemy is. It’s the MSM folks. In order for Jindal, or Palin – or any of our folks to communicate – we have to fight and beat the droning of the MSM, which will coordinate to kill W-H-O-E-V-E-R we nominate.
Better have a plan for that. But just based on how the conservative talking heads behaved when Palin was getting bashed – I’m not optimistic we realize who the enemy is here or how to defeat them.
We need to get DOWN AND NASTY with the MSM. I’m talking about people following these blow hards around – and publishing the dirty TRUE details of their lives. Discredit THEM.
If you don’t – we will not win.
HondaV65 on February 23, 2009 at 10:24 PM
There’s a lot to like over at LGF, but if you believe in any sort of design to the universe, with any sort of “intelligence” behind it, you’re a knuckle-dragging, hare-lipped, underbiting troglodyte. And you hate science. I’m done with them.
Pope Linus on February 23, 2009 at 10:24 PM
I’m a Palin and hope she gets the nomination. However, I would support Jindal too. I’m not sure he would pick her. He may think that she outshines him and he might not want her to hog the attention. On the other hand, Sarah would be a team player and have more experience than 2008 so it would probably work out. It means Obama will dump Biden and find a woman.
I believe though that if Sarah wins the GOP nomination in a close race with Jindal, she WOULD ask him to join her.
Sapwolf on February 23, 2009 at 10:27 PM
PARTIAL LIST OF DOCUMENTS THAT BARACK OBAMA REFUSES TO RELEASE -. (The “new openness” and “transparency” of Obama”)
OBAMA’S “CLOSED RECORDS” POLICY
Indonesian Passport – Not released
Application for U.S. Citizenship (as former citizen of Indonesia) – Not released
Immigration Records – Not released
Original Vault Copy Birth Certificate – Not released
Certificate of Live Birth – Counterfeit Version on Obama Web Site
Obama / Dunham Marriage License – Not released
Soetoro / Dunham Marriage License – Not released
Soetoro Adoption Records – Not Released
Fransiskus Assisi School Application – Not released
Punahou School Records – Not released
Selective Service Registration – Counterfeit version generated
Occidental College records – Not released
Columbia College Records – Not released
Columbia Thesis – Not released
Harvard College Records – Not released
Baptism Certificate – None
Medical Records – Not released
Illinois State Senate Records – Not released
Law Practice Client List – Not released
University of Chicago Scholarly Articles – None
searcher484 on February 23, 2009 at 10:28 PM
Can we stop calling him a creationist. Definition of creationism:
Does anyone know if he has a “literal” belief in Genesis? He doesn’t deny evolution in the video I posted from HuffPo. He also never says that the Earth is young. He doesn’t sound like a creationist to me.
terryannonline on February 23, 2009 at 10:29 PM
think about what you said at this time.
If you name a paper, new organization, etc. you will be approving of the way they report “their news”.
Get it? Sarah didn’t say it because she isn’t endorsing anyone and wasn’t going too.
Katie freaking stupid Couric… where is she now?
upinak on February 23, 2009 at 10:30 PM
+1
signed,
Jay Leno, David Letterman, Conan O’Brien, Tina Fey, the cast of Saturday Night Live, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert, and the entire Democratic Party.
benny shakar on February 23, 2009 at 10:31 PM
Sorry but I’m of the belief that women and minorities will not never overwhelming vote Republican. No matter who is on the ticket.
And I’m saying this as a woman and a minority.
terryannonline on February 23, 2009 at 10:31 PM
You can add the 1,000+ “Stimulus Bill”………
Seven Percent Solution on February 23, 2009 at 10:32 PM
says the man who voted for Begich. Oh yeah… Alaskan’s are ticked at Begich right now.
upinak on February 23, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Another Christian Republican. This is going to drive AP nuts.
Sapwolf on February 23, 2009 at 10:32 PM
who cares?
better then a fake religous screw up, running for a democratic seat.
upinak on February 23, 2009 at 10:33 PM
Oh well. He can try to get Christopher Hitchens elected.
terryannonline on February 23, 2009 at 10:34 PM
People, Jindal is Catholic. Just read the Catechism to see what he believes. Duh.
Sapwolf on February 23, 2009 at 10:34 PM
What the MSM will say about Bobby Jindal …
1. Bobby Jindal is too young – younger than Teddy Roosevelt was when he took office – and Teddy was a very aggressive guy wasn’t he? Not too balanced and Jindal probably isn’t either.
2. Bobby Jindal – is he controlled by his wife? Who is this silent woman that wields so much control over her husband? (There are actually Jindal campaign ads for governor here in LA where his wife is bossing him around a bit).
3. Bobby Jindal – why is he hiding from his Indian heritage? “Piyush” is his real name – why does he run from his roots and take a Southern “bubba” name like “Bobby”?
4. “Piyush Jindal” – what complications can we expect with Pakistan if the US elects an Indian as President? Won’t we also have problems with the entire Islamic world?
5. Bobby Jindal – if he’s so smart – then why does he back creationism?
6. Bobby Jindal – a micromanager who can’t understand the macro world?
7. Bobby Jindal – too smart? Does all that excessive brain power come at the expense of some common sense and people skills … hmmmm?
8. And on and on and on …
Hey – I’ll stand with the man – but will we all? I know most on HotAir will – but I’m not sure all the blogger here will. And I’m fairly certain the George Wills and Kathleen Parkers won’t – the first time Bobby hits a speed bump.
HondaV65 on February 23, 2009 at 10:35 PM
Hi neighbor, I’m always glad to help!
Ms. Couric continues as anchor of the CBS Evening News and a contributor to 60 Minutes… and as far as I know, neither her husband nor any of her staff were recently found in contempt for ignoring subpoenas.
benny shakar on February 23, 2009 at 10:52 PM
Yep. Obama is gonna have that ticket in his nightmares, including inflation, unemployment, nuclear Iran, plunging dollar, humongous trade and budget deficits, Pelosi continuing to use him as her b***h.
It looks so grim for him, I almost feel sorry for him.
Sapwolf on February 23, 2009 at 10:52 PM
How does this have anything to do with executing the Office of President? Correct answer: it doesn’t.
Any voter that would base their decision on what a candidate thinks about this silly “debate” is an idiot and should have their voting privileges revoked due to being a danger to the country.
Fed45 on February 23, 2009 at 10:55 PM
No, but he’ll do a great job for his opposition in 2012.
sethstorm on February 23, 2009 at 10:58 PM
HondaV65 on February 23, 2009 at 10:35 PM
If I didn’t know better, I’d swear you were describing a cross between Bubba and Barry.
Fed45 on February 23, 2009 at 10:59 PM
Well he’s gone a bit off the deep end lately. Everybody’s either a creationist nutjob or a racist nutjob. It started with the feud he had with Pamela over at Atlas Shrugged and everything has gone downhill from there.
It’s like they hit crazy literalist critical mass over there. Sad, his posts used to be good, too. But the OMG CREATIONIST ocd is getting tiresome.
DangerHighVoltage on February 23, 2009 at 11:00 PM
“What version of creationism does Jindal subscribe, please god dont tell me it’s the version that says the earth is only 5000 years old and dinosaurs didnt exist”
Who the heck cares? If your litmus test is “what do you think you would see if you and I could go back in time 50 million years, which we both agree is impossible,” that seems like a strange criterion.
I’m a lot more concerned with “What are you planning on doing to safeguard my liberty,” and “What are you planning on doing to safeguard my finances?”
notropis on February 23, 2009 at 11:01 PM
This.
Unless your goal in life is to become an evolutionary biologist, then your personal beliefs regarding evolution are surprisingly unimportant.
DangerHighVoltage on February 23, 2009 at 11:07 PM
You forgot the most important qualification du jour. I don’t think either was ever the editor of the Harvard Law Review. Darn.
ddrintn on February 23, 2009 at 11:14 PM
benny you do forget that the Attorney General said not to worry about it due to misconduct via the case and the lawyers.
upinak on February 23, 2009 at 11:14 PM
What’s her tax situation?
ddrintn on February 23, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Oh, to be clear, as regards the “finances” question, the main answer I’m looking for is: “I’m not going to confiscate them.”
We can work the rest out from there, I’d think.
notropis on February 23, 2009 at 11:18 PM
Here we are picking sides and picking on other candidates and it’s February 2009. If we can’t get beyond “my guy’s better than your guy,” then we’re going to get our a$$es handed to us again in 2012.
Look, I really like Sarah Palin. Joined Sarah PAC, went to a rally, donated, the whole nine yards, but I will vote for whomever is the best candidate. It may very well be Sarah, but it might not be.
But we better all get strategic and consider what the goal is – WINNING the White House.
Oink on February 23, 2009 at 11:19 PM
http://gov.state.ak.us/
upinak on February 23, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Tomorrow night should be interesting. Jindal’s going to get his chance to fisk Obama’s lies.
INC on February 23, 2009 at 11:21 PM
“neither her husband nor any of her staff were recently found in contempt for ignoring subpoenas.”
Have any been issued? If not, why not? What sort of pull does her name continue to carry in the Justice Department? Why do she, her husband and her staff suddenly feel so relieved and emboldened now that Eric Holder has taken over the reins of Justice?
Enquiring minds want to know….
notropis on February 23, 2009 at 11:22 PM
I mean Couric’s. Yeah, Republicans tend to have to be open books on such matters,.
ddrintn on February 23, 2009 at 11:23 PM
oh good Lord, where do you people come from. Google it.
upinak on February 23, 2009 at 11:24 PM
gotcha.. but isn’t she a widow?
upinak on February 23, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Yeah, I think she is. I think she may have a boy toy, though. Or several, from what I remember.
ddrintn on February 23, 2009 at 11:25 PM
“I will vote for whomever is the best candidate.”
And more’n that, I will vote the anti-Obama candidate in the general, even if it’s the Captain Pike version of John McCain.
notropis on February 23, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Couric is a widow.
INC on February 23, 2009 at 11:29 PM
“upinak”
Google “totally intense troll with no sense of humor” — actually, use Google Images. I’m thinking you’ll see your own picture.
notropis on February 23, 2009 at 11:29 PM
stop being a penis wrinkle. You might have more help on the gaydar theme!
upinak on February 23, 2009 at 11:32 PM
I know it’s early, JetBoy but here goes: Snap!
I just counted Charlie Crist out.
Jaibones on February 23, 2009 at 11:33 PM
“stop being a penis wrinkle. You might have more help on the gaydar theme!”
?
Or you could learn English. Or not.
No skin off my, um, nose.
notropis on February 23, 2009 at 11:36 PM
Well, at least Jinda’s controversial religious beliefs don’t include the belief in his own divinity. I think we’ll be well and truly tired of that particular catechism by 2012.
Are the liberals slamming people like Jindal and Palin over their religion insinuating that people like Barack Obama and Bill Clinton are less than sincere in their heartfelt religious beliefs? You rarely saw Clinton photographed without a Bible after 1998. Something significant must have happened in his life that year, to inspire such sudden religious devotion. You liberal posters owe Clinton and Obama an apology for implying they’re just crass opportunists who use religion as a political prop.
Let’s say the theocratic nightmare scenario comes to pass, and someone like Brother Robert Jindal or Sister Sarah Palin comes rolling into the White House in 2012, with a vast army of religious supporters at their heels, packed into a thousand RVs stamped with gleaming Jesus fish on the rear bumpers, and Christy Lane blasting from their stereo systems. What, exactly, are liberals afraid they’re going to do in terms of religious legislation when they get into office? Come out against gay marriage? Obama already beat them to it. Require a 10% tithe to the Church? Strip women of the right to vote? Require mandatory membership in a Christian church? If so, which denomination do you think they’ll be pushing for? What’s the agenda you’re afraid of, and do you think it will cost more than the trillion bucks Obama and his cronies are vacuuming out of the private sector?
From what I can see, the fondest dreams of the dreaded Religious Right are to preserve the existing legal and moral standing of marriage, and overturn Roe vs. Wade, which might result in abortion becoming illegal in a dozen states… and none of them even expect to achieve the latter goal anytime soon. I can’t find much to inspire terror in that agenda.
As with anti-Semitism, the bigotry against Christians (the only religion liberals have in mind when they rail against incipient theocracy) says much more about the bigots than it does about the Christians. What makes liberals angry about people of faith is that they stand resolutely against progressivism. They deny the central tenet of collectivist ideology, the belief that every aspect of life can be improved by a central temporal authority. They don’t want to hear the progressives’ big ideas about improving them. They embrace one of the insights most central to conservatism: the first duty of a citizen is to his fellow citizens, not to his government. They believe in a way of life that is not easy to follow, then proceed to follow it, in defiance of progressive theory about the helplessness of average citizens in the absence of enlightened central government.
I don’t know what Bobby Jindal thinks happened at the creation of the universe. I have a pretty good sense of what he thinks happened at the creation of America. That matters a lot more to me.
Doctor Zero on February 23, 2009 at 11:41 PM
Hear, hear!!
INC on February 23, 2009 at 11:50 PM
“I don’t know what Bobby Jindal thinks happened at the creation of the universe. I have a pretty good sense of what he thinks happened at the creation of America. That matters a lot more to me.”
I hope you’re ok with the fact that I’m going to steal that. I’ll try to remember to cite your post, at least for a while. It’s what I was trying to say, but you said it way better. Thanks.
notropis on February 23, 2009 at 11:58 PM
“But, but…those religious kooks are trying to force their beliefs and values down everyone else’s throat!!!!!” Say the products of pretty thorough indoctrination in NEA-run schools.
ddrintn on February 24, 2009 at 12:01 AM
(I figured zero plus one, right?)
Jaibones on February 24, 2009 at 12:08 AM
Please people, let’s forget Sarah Palin. She was obviously was unprepared for the national scence and she is still unprepared. Going on Greta is not enough! She needs to do interviews with serious political journalists. She needs to talk in details about the issues of the day. Here mama grizzly routine is wearing thin.
Chekote on February 24, 2009 at 12:09 AM
Our best strategy to elect Palin would be to get a strong third party candidate to run and poll well enough to join the debates as well. Then she can stand in the middle and claim they need to stop bickering and talk about the issues important to the people in the great states of America!
Barring that scenario, I don’t think she’ll be a terribly strong debater. Jindal and Romney will eat her lunch, as might Obama if they let Biden pinch hit for him.
Also, awesome post Doctor Zero!
thecountofincognito on February 24, 2009 at 12:11 AM
Charles does tend to take a James Randi/Penn Jilette view towards fundamentalists (disdain from a libertarian point of view, as opposed to the left, which disdains Christianity but runs off willingly into Wiccanism, Scientology or some other Eastern or obscure religion simply because few of the commoners in America practice it). But Jindal needs to be questioned about some of his actions in the run-up to 2012 if he is going to run, if for no other reason than he has to have his answers down pat or he will be destroyed by the big media outlets and portrayed as a darker skinned Pat Robertson.
So questions raised by LGF shouldn’t be ignored, because they’re the same questions the big media will be asking — and a lot more hostily, as Ziegler’s documentary on Palin shows — which will be part of their “circle the wagons” re-election effort for Obama three years from now.
jon1979 on February 24, 2009 at 12:12 AM
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