In 2012, it won't be Sarah Palin we have to worry about.

[DrPresident]

It will be Bobby Jindal...

"Like the president-elect, Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana is young (37), accomplished (a Rhodes scholar) and, as the son of Indian immigrants, someone familiar with breaking racial and cultural barriers. He came to Iowa to deliver a pair of speeches, and his mere presence ignited talk that the 2012 presidential campaign has begun here, if coyly. Already, a fierce fight is looming between him and other Republicans -- former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who arrived in Iowa a couple of days before him, and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who is said to be coming at some point -- for the hearts of social conservatives.

"The Republicans really have no choice except to look at some people more youthful if they want to have a better chance of winning," said Betty E. Johnson, an independent and the wife of a Cedar Rapids pastor, who voted for George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 but who went for Obama over 72-year-old John McCain. "I liked Obama's energy and hope. I don't know, but maybe a younger person would give Republicans a feeling of more energy, openness."


He could pose a REAL threat to the Democrats in four years as he gains experience as a governor. We should watch out for this cat.

[SoCalDem]

1. Not so much..

There was a poll a few weeks ago, and
Piyush Jindal barely registered..
"the base" will NEVER support him..

[DrPresident]

2. Don't be so sure, my friend

Ever since they got their asses kicked on November 4th, they've been eyeing Jindal as the Republican Obama. It could happen.

[JI7]

6. i'm sorry, but what made Obama such a big thing was his convention speech

many people have an impressive background. but he is able to inspire when he speaks. this of course wouldn't be enough but people saw he had the record also .

but i haven't seen Jindal give any speeches where he would be able to inspire the way Obama does.

[BzaDem]

13. Look at this poll of Obama vs. McCain in 2006: McCain 510 EV, Obama 28 EV

http://www.surveyusa.com/index.php/2008/11/03/mccain-510-electoral-votes-obama-28-how-the-map-looked-exactly-2-years-ago/

Never trust polls 2 years out, let alone 4 years out ;)

[Uzybone]

30. While I agree with not trusting polls

I disagree with the OP about worrying about Jindal. We have no idea who we should be worried about at this point.

[babylonsister]

3. If President Obama does his thing, no problem. No comparison! nt

[Starry Messenger]

4. Nah. It's covered.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/06/bobby_jindals_dance_with_the_d.php

"Bobby Jindal, the 36-year old governor of Louisiana, is being taken seriously by the national press as a candidate on the shortlist to be John McCain's Vice President. No one doubts that he's a political prodigy -- his impressive resume includes stints as president of the state university system, a Congressman and now governor.

But one of Jindal's job titles hasn't gotten much attention -- and it just might prompt a few questions if his Veep candidacy gains steam: Exorcist.

As others noted during his 2003 and 2007 gubernatorial campaigns (see update), in an essay Jindal wrote in 1994 for the New Oxford Review, a serious right-wing Catholic journal, Jindal narrated a bizarre story of a personal encounter with a demon, in which he participated in an exorcism with a group of college friends. And not only did they cast out the supernatural spirit that had possessed his friend, Jindal wrote that he believes that their ritual may well have cured her cancer."

[NewJeffCT]

18. Will the exorcism thing really play that big?

I'm an atheist, so I don't always know how religious stuff will play out in the media.

[Starry Messenger]

35. I'm an atheist too.

I think if it hits at the right time it will be damaging. Especially if we have 3 years of sanity in the Obama administration to hold over them. The exorcism thing will be the icing on the cake. Just my opinion though.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

44. I think (hope) so.

I used to be a pretty good Catholic and even I would have been weirded out by someone doing an exorcism. It seems too far out even for most conservatives.

[snowbear]

5. Get real Doc.

The Voodoo man won't be a threat to anyone but his next séance or exorcism victim.

[cokeboat]

7. I've heard this guy talk,and he's like a human ambien

He lacks charisma and inspiration.Can you honestly tell me you can see Jindals face on peoples shirt,bumper sticker,bedroom poster.Nah.

[snowbear]

8. LOL... "human ambien"

By the way.. Welcome aboard cokeboat!

[me b zola]

14. Do you think that Palin has charisma & inspiration?

Although I do like when I see some dumb ass wearing her name or face, it lets me know who to point at and laugh.

[NewJeffCT]

17. To Republicans, she is very charismatic

and, she is popular with the neocon crowd as well...unlike Huckabee.

[mwei924]

9. The exorcist thing is a little too weird.

And his voice is annoying.

[camera obscura]

10. No way will "The Base" accept him...

you know when the Republican commentators were betting that Obama couldn't win a single primary? That's because they were going by their own experience with the Republican "common folks". No way will their Joe the Plumbers come out for a skinny Indian guy with a funny name.

[Bucky]

34. Don't count on Republican racism to defeat him. He's won in big numbers in the South

He first got elected to Congress with 78% of the vote in the reddest of redneck districts. He's like Palin, only smart. He's like Alan Keyes, only sane. He's like George Bush, only competent.

He won't be able to be Obama in 2012. But then again, he's going to spend the 30 years of his life trying to become president.

[greenman3610]

11. Well, he's a fundy, ..check

he's anti science, check
he's from the south, check
oops
he aint white

I forgot, republicans are racist to the core.
We're 50 years away from a non-white republican
president - if the party lasts that long.

[Utnapishtim]

12. You have to understand that a great majority of the Republican 'base' are racists.

They were drawn into the fold by Nixon's 'Southern Strategy', and by God, that's where they'll stay. Jindal would be attractive to them if he were white, but he isn't, and so he's Vice-Presidential material at the best. Moreover, many Southern Republicans don't accept the idea that they're being lorded over by a non-white already; Jindal would be far too much in far too short a time for them to handle. Looking at it from the racial Republican realpolitik from the Reagan era, Jindal would likely not have a shot until at least 2020: these rednecks will not accept one non-white President after another, for the sake of their own heightened sense(s) of power. They'd vote for a liberal Democrat against Obama if he were white.

Moreover, Bobby Jindal is a bad speaker. I have watched videos of him on YouTube; his delivery is very flat. Obama is distinguished by his oratory, whereas Jindal is not only bad at speaking, he is downright awkward at times. He lacks the sense of generational change combined with lofty auditory which Obama brings.

Jindal wants badly to achieve high elective office, but he never will. His 'base' is a tiny minority, and he would loathe to count so much on those 'bleeding hearts' he despises to give him a chance. He has reached his plateau, and has nowhere to go but down. I do not predict that either Palin nor Jindal will be the Republican nominee for President in 2012, though it will be someone similar. Let us resist with all that we have that populism which demands social obedience as well as economic complacency, or we will be done for.

[Berry Cool]

21. Well, you know, they hate women too, but they were cynical enough to grab onto Palin

so why not? Look at all the people excited over her, and an inspiring speaker she is not. If anything, she's proof that inspired speechifying is NOT a qualification to become a Republican candidate for president. (You'd think we'd have learned that from McCain, but no.)

I can see a certain flank of Republicans deciding that Jindal is "our Obama" and giving him the Pygmalion treatment in hopes of making him more palatable to both the party as a whole and to the voters in general, especially the independents. They might even make him a better speaker than he is now.

As for the exorcism thing, will Republicans really think of that as a deal breaker? I mean, come on...fundies are people who readily believe you can cast out devils from people. Not only that, but they believe the devils have shape and form.

The next election is four years away, and I say "never say never." I'm sure if you look on the Internets enough, you can find sages of 2004 wisely predicting that no way will Obama even be a candidate in '08...it's too soon, he's too young and inexperienced, and besides he's (whisper) black, and everyone knows America ain't ready for a black president and so do the Dems, and they're too desperate for victory to run the risk of losing yet again by putting up a black candidate. I mean, come on. (Hell, you can find people who were saying this a year ago.)

[uponit7771]

23. Hate has nothing to do with it, a person doesn't have to hate another race to be racist just think..

...negatively of them in areas of life instead of looking at people in other races as individuals.

Palin was a hit for the base because she's a mindless fundie nut and that superseded her need to stay in "her place" as they would put it.

[treestar]

33. The excorcism might be OK with the fundie base, but it won't

go down too well with Independent and middle voters. Obama does not have anything that weird in his religious background - even the Rev. Wright was somebody else, and what you might expect from an all black church, otherwise, Obama's religion is "normal." Obama would not do something like personally be involved in exorcism. That's out there and creepy enough to turn off the regular voters. The fundie nutjobs are clearly a small minority and their power is waning.

[Kalyke]

26. The South does not a lock on racism!

If Nixon's "Southern" strategy worked so well, why in the hell did the South continue to vote for Democrats up until 2000?

Seriously, that didn't work. Right-wing radio is the Southern nemisis - but racism is all over.

[qwlauren35]

43. There are TWO ways to be Become President...

And one is as VP.

Jindal may be the next VP contender.

[Mark E. Smith]

15. The GOP is a party of crazy people

And nobody does crazy like Sarah Palin does crazy.

Trust me, they'll nominate one of their own.

[pnwmom]

16. It's hard to imagine him as a threat to Obama, since he's got that funny

little voice and accent (sorry!) and he'll only be 41 in 2012. Put him next to Obama on any stage and he'll come off as an inexperienced lightweight.

But I can imagine him as a V.P. candidate, and he'd be a lot stronger than Palin in that position.

[Shiver]

24. I hate to say it...

...but it is so incredibly surreal to hear a voice with that accent come out of a man looking like that. It's like my eyes have a hard time agreeing with my ears for a minute or so.

[pnwmom]

28. I know what you mean. The Indian-Americans that I know

have accents either from the northeast, the midwest, or the west coast. It gave me a little jolt to hear him the first time. I knew he was a Rhodes Scholar, like Clinton, but I didn't expect him to have a Clintonesque accent!

[JNelson6563]

19. I hope they do waste their best in 2012

First off to beat an incumbant Prez is very hard, to beat one like I suspect Obama will be, impossible.

I think it's ridiculous to fear for 2012.

Julie

[polichick]

20. Pawlenty is also in the running - he often sounds so reasonable, even Dems could like him.

[uponit7771]

22. The compound that BUILT the republican base was racism, the Southern Strategy worked to a great

...degree in bringing southern whites together to 'protect' each other from people who didn't look like them.

Jindal will never work, the republican base is too racist

[malik flavors]

25. If Obama just does his job, nobody is going to defeat him. to think otherwise is silly.

And Obama's presidential experience > Bobby Jindal's experience as a governor.

[Bucky]

38. To seriously assess the field for your opponents' strengths is never silly

Jindal will be around for decades, so this isn't only about 2012. It would be naive not to keep an eye on him.

Taking the long view is important. For example, Obama's two most certain Supreme Court nominations will be to replace two of the three current liberals on the bench (Ginsberg & Stevens). It's unlikely that any of the five current conservative majority holders will not serve out Obama's 8 years in office.

I expect Obama's replacement in 2017 will still face a SCOTUS including the following justices (and their 2017 ages):

John Roberts, 61
Antonin Scalia, 80
Anthony Kennedy, 80
Clarence Thomas, 68
Sam Alito, 66

Souter & Breyer might retire (they're both around 70), but I expect the ideologues to hang on for dear life and hope a fellow Reptiloid gets elected in 2016. The pressure on them from their conservative colleagues will be intense. To the Republicans, politics is war. So the plotting to get Bobby Jindal in there sometime in the next three decades is certainly part of what we should stay aware of.

[malik flavors]

42. "To the republicans, politics is war"

I found it ironic that you would say this while simultaneoulsy looking decades into the future to devise a plan to stop Bobby Jindal from becoming president and to prevent the supreme court from moving further to the right.

It seems you too, are involved in this "political war" and endless campaign.

[Blarch]

27. 10 things you didn't know about Bobby...

http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/05/22/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-bobby-jindal.html

Bobby Jindal is the governor of Louisiana and a former congressman and is thought to be a possible running mate for McCain.

1. The son of immigrants from India's Punjab state, Jindal made history when he became the first U.S. governor with roots in India.

2. Born Piyush Jindal in Baton Rouge in 1971, he gave himself the nickname Bobby—after the youngest son on The Brady Bunch—when he was 4.

3. Raised a Hindu, Jindal converted to Catholicism as a teenager. As a young convert, he wrote of the emotional and intellectual struggles of his spiritual journey in several articles that were published in the New Oxford Review, a Catholic magazine.

4. Jindal graduated from Baton Rouge High School in 1987. He attended Brown University, graduating with honors in biology and public policy. He turned down admissions to medical and law schools at Harvard and Yale to attend Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar.

5. While attending Oxford, Jindal contemplated joining the priesthood. He ultimately decided that it was not for him.

6. In 2006, Jindal and his wife, Supriya, delivered their third child at home. Barely able to call 911 before the delivery, Jindal received a nurse's coaching by phone. Just as he was completing the umbilical cord procedure with a shoestring, paramedics arrived. The Jindals have a daughter and two sons.

7. Before he turned 30, Jindal headed Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals and became president of the University of Louisiana System. He served in the Department of Health and Human Services under President George W. Bush and was executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare in the late '90s. Prior to public service, Jindal worked for the consulting firm McKinsey & Co.

8. In 2003, Gov. Mike Foster, who was finishing his second consecutive term and therefore could not run again, encouraged Jindal to run for governor. Defeated by Democrat Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Jindal's first bid for governor was unsuccessful.

9. In 2004, he sought the congressional seat from Louisiana's First District. He won with a whopping 78 percent of the vote and was re-elected in 2006 with almost 90 percent.

10. In 2007, Jindal ran for governor again and won. The victory was largely attributed to old-fashioned politicking, which included Jindal "giving testimony" in Pentecostal and Baptist churches in rural and remote sections of Louisiana.

[nc4bo]

29. Why are R's so stupid? Palin? Pawlenty? Jindal? JFC so much in common

and all so wrong for America.

[Afikpo Chic]

31. Jindal also does not even look good physically..

His clothes never fit him right. Every one of his suit iis 4 sizes higher than he should wear. And he speaks very badly. And in order to please the far right he must out-far right them. Which means he will be saying things that you and I knows he can't possibly believe in. IOW; DEMS have nothing to worry about.

And uhh ehh.. what a face on him.

[Bucky]

32. Jindal is smart, earnest, crafty, and young. Republicans don't like that in a candidate

Still, he is a force to be reckoned with. His more, um, fervent religious beliefs may get him into trouble with mainstream Christians. But he may be smart enough to know how to finesse that problem.

Don't for one second believe that Republicans won't support him because he's an ethnic minority. This isn't 1968. People will get over it if they think he's on their side. Any DUer who makes this argument is just talking out his ass.

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

36. why should we worry about Sarah Palin? She's a joke.

[Unsane]

37. A 2012 Jindal run risks looking gimmicky.

[FrenchieCat]

39. Why Jindal? Because he's young and brown?

I don't think folks are going to support someone just because he remotely resembles Barack Obama....who is unique.

Jindal will appear contrived and forced, and I just don't think that the Obama haters will embrace Jindal anymore than they did Obama.

[Poiuyt]

40. OTOH, Palin certainly loves the cameras and never misses an opportunity to be in front of them

She's down in Georgia, campaigning for Saxby Chamblis right now. I have a feeling that this is going to be the way it's going to be for the next four years. She's going to seek out every PR opportunity she can find and the national press will be more than willing to cover her every move. It doesn't matter that she's an ignoramus and totally unqualified. Republicans don't care about that. She'll be in the running for the Republican nominee in 2012.

[WinkyDink]

41. It won't be ANYBODY "we have to worry about." Get real.

[and-justice-for-all]

45. Yeah, Sarah Palin with a penis...

Neofascism aka Conservatism, is a dying breed and we all have to make sure it stays that way.

[Maru Kitteh]

46. Mark me down for this one too.

It's exactly what I told my friend the day after the election.