McCain Veep Pick: Will it be Jindal?
By Michael J.W. Stickings
It is being reported, by no less a right-wing authority than Bob Novak, that McCain will announce his veep pick this week, essentially to steal some of Obama's thunder -- and to attract some of the media attention that is now so focused on Obama and his overseas trip. It could be Romney... or Giuliani... or Pawlenty... or Crist...
But how about Jindal? As WaPo's Chris Cillizza is reporting, McCain is set to head down to Louisiana this week to meet with the governor and GOP rising star.
Cillizza notes that a Jindal pick would be "unorthodox" and risky, but it certainly helps that Jindal has the backing of such right-wing luminaries as Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh.
McCain could do with some of that backing himself, after all.
Not that I want McCain to benefit from his veep pick, of course, but I do think Jindal is one of the best options. He lacks experience -- at 37, he's much younger than Obama -- but he would bring the excitement factor... and, given how unexciting the candidate, the campaign, and the party are, that would be no small thing. And it could, I think, put pressure on Obama to pick a similarly exciting running mate (but one with significantly more experience -- Hillary?).
Or is Jindal really just Dan Quayle Part Deux?
**********
Update: The Politico's Jonathan Martin is reporting that McCain will likely hold off on announcing his pick.
It is being reported, by no less a right-wing authority than Bob Novak, that McCain will announce his veep pick this week, essentially to steal some of Obama's thunder -- and to attract some of the media attention that is now so focused on Obama and his overseas trip. It could be Romney... or Giuliani... or Pawlenty... or Crist...
But how about Jindal? As WaPo's Chris Cillizza is reporting, McCain is set to head down to Louisiana this week to meet with the governor and GOP rising star.
Cillizza notes that a Jindal pick would be "unorthodox" and risky, but it certainly helps that Jindal has the backing of such right-wing luminaries as Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh.
McCain could do with some of that backing himself, after all.
Not that I want McCain to benefit from his veep pick, of course, but I do think Jindal is one of the best options. He lacks experience -- at 37, he's much younger than Obama -- but he would bring the excitement factor... and, given how unexciting the candidate, the campaign, and the party are, that would be no small thing. And it could, I think, put pressure on Obama to pick a similarly exciting running mate (but one with significantly more experience -- Hillary?).
Or is Jindal really just Dan Quayle Part Deux?
**********
Update: The Politico's Jonathan Martin is reporting that McCain will likely hold off on announcing his pick.
Labels: 2008 election, Bobby Jindal, conservatives, John McCain, Republicans
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
12:00 PM
3 Comments:
"Or is Jindal really just Dan Quayle Part Deux?"
As someone from the Great State Of Louisiana, I think he might actually be worse. The "smart" Jindal seems to have surrounded himself with political novices and walked headlong into several political disasters. The core of true believers still hand on to the "next Ronald Reagan" mantra, but his performance has many supporters wondering if he's up to it (that is Governor of Louisiana).
However, on a positive note for Republicans, his recent "ethics reform" success was most successful in making sure they did not apply to his administration.
By
Anonymous, at 4:03 PM
As you know, of course, ethics don't apply to Republicans. Just ask Newt Gingrich.
Worse than Quayle, eh? Hard to imagine, but he certainly enjoys a certain celebrity status among conservatives that Quayle never did.
By
Michael J.W. Stickings, at 4:31 PM
His status has more to do with how "smart" he is, and the fact that he never had to actually govern before.
That seems to be the downfall of "conservatism"; when you actually have to put it into practice. That's about the time the "next Ronald Reagan" become another "damn politician".
The New Orleans/Louisiana bloggers have a lot of pixels on the "next Ronald Reagan" Oyster at http://righthandthief.blogspot.com/ is a good place to start.
By
Anonymous, at 9:33 AM
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