There's been a lot of chit-chat revolving around Gov. Bobby Jindal's response to President Barack Obama's speech the other night, with almost all of it based on the assumption that he "bombed."
Sure, the speech wasn't great ... but let's be real! One canned speech, in a quiet room, speaking only to a camera ... that isn't enough for "we the people" to make a decision regarding his potential. We don't want to elect people based on their speech-giving skills, do we?
He did get it right when he said the so-called "stimulus" is designed to:
... grow the government, increase our taxes down the line, and saddle our children with debt.
In response to universal health care, Jindal also correctly noted:
We stand for universal access. What we oppose is universal government health care.
And after listening to President Obama's Orwellian abuse of the language, attempting to paint a picture of socialism as a traditional cornerstone American value ... Jindal's response was good:
Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have, on things we do not need? That is precisely what the Democrats in Congress just did. It's irresponsible. And it's no way to strengthen our economy, create jobs, or build a prosperous future for our children.
In the video below, Jindal is seen speaking at an annual event for the National Rifle Association (NRA). It's short, and well worth your time. I don't know enough about Gov. Bobby Jindal to endorse him at this point ... but he certainly shows significant potential!
H/T to Rustmeister's Alehouse!
Jindal’s speech reminds me of another fraud that would seem to indicate something seriously wrong with the Republican Party. In 1996, Bill Clinton simply ordered that his party would suddenly be the blue party, though Republicans had used that color forever to identify themselves, as it is the color of Justice (red = courage, white = honor, blue = justice), and they had been founded to end the infamies of slavery and bigamy, while since adopting socialism the Democrats had been the red party, in their case as with European leftist parties the color red is associated with blood. But when he gave that order, the entire world of television and media turned and saluted, and began associating the parties with colors that have nothing to do with them, and without asking Republicans whether they accepted the theft without complaint.
Bob Dole, who became a Republican because the other party already had a candidate, did nothing, and let the Democrats steal their color, like they’ve stolen everything else they ever laid their hands on. He should have said, in effect, “Go blow, punk. Our color is ours, and you well fit yours, you traitor S.O.B.”
That alone is one reason why to this day I don’t trust Republicans. They won’t even stand up for themselves.
From everything I’ve read, watched and heard from Jindal, or about Jindal, he seems like a good and capable guy. Or to put it more bluntly … like an authentic American!
If the Republicans ever figure out how to control the conversation (I’m not sure they even want to at this point), we can move on from the high school gossip of trivial things like his performance in one isolated event, to philosophy, principles and ideas … you know, things of substance.
I will be the first to admit that I was disappointed in Gov. Jindal’s speech. Mainly because I’ve heard the man speak and talk with ease on complicated issues so many times before. That, however, was an authentic and canned performance. It wasn’t Jindal.
Having said that, this is hardly the end of his presidential aspirations and will be forgotten or a source of humor but will not hurt his chances as a potential candidate. Anyone who knows anything about his career would agree.