Sunday, November 30, 2008

when will Jindal be president?

GOP Looks to Young Louisiana Gov. Jindal as Its Own Version of Obama - washingtonpost.com
Meanwhile, others around the country were talking him up. No less an aspiring kingmaker than Steve Schmidt, the chief strategist of McCain's failed presidential bid, sees Jindal as the Republican Party's destiny. "The question is not whether he'll be president, but when he'll be president, because he will be elected someday." The anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist believes, too, that Jindal is a certainty to occupy the White House, and conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh has described him as "the next Ronald Reagan."
GOP hastily creates new Emperor's clothes.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

On Jindal's aspirations

It's that time again; Bobby Jindal kicks off the speech season -- in Iowa | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times
It's that time again; Bobby Jindal kicks off the speech season -- in Iowa

Hard to believe this much time has passed already since the 2008 presidential election. But here we are only 37 months away from the Iowa caucuses.

And only 32 months till the Ames Straw Poll.

And here goes Louisiana Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal speaking at a fundraiser for the Iowa Family Policy Center (you remember them) at that familiar Sheraton Hotel in West Des Moines.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Jindal exaggerating achievements

The Times Pic has the goods.

BRIEFING BOOK- NOLA.com
'Sorry, Guv ...'

Gov. Bobby Jindal's bragging about the state's new ethics laws drew a friendly rebuke last week from the Center for Public Integrity. .... After Jindal recently repeated the claim on national television, the organization responded on its Web site in a statement under the headline: "Governor Bobby Jindal Spins the Center's Work." It stated: "The center has never said that Louisiana ethics law is 'on top of the list.' It's good -- don't get us wrong -- but, sorry, Guv, we can't give you the top ranking. . . . We just hope you can settle for being one of the best, just not necessarily the very, very best."

. . . .

Talking to Greta Van Susteren, of Fox News, last week, Gov. Bobby Jindal said his administration had "cut spending in our state by 12 percent. We cut the number of government jobs by 1,000. We've actually cut taxes six times. . . . We did the largest income tax cut in our state's history." The governor did not tell the national viewers that the fiscal 2008-09 budget he signed earlier this year is smaller than the previous year's budget only because the state is receiving less federal money for hurricane recovery. Discounting federal money, Jindal actually approved state general fund spending -- money generated by state taxes, fees and royalties -- that is $1 billion, or about 12 percent, higher than in former Gov. Kathleen Blanco's last budget. The 1,000 jobs were posts that Blanco's last budget had authorized but that had not been filled. The "largest income tax cut" Jindal referenced was the Legislature's repeal of the Stelly Tax Plan remnants. Jindal's administration initially opposed the repeal plan, which was pushed by state Sen. B.L. "Buddy" Shaw, R-Shreveport, before supporting it.



Thursday, November 13, 2008

A truly fearless man.

Louisiana should be proud of this man. 

2theadvocate.com | News | Priest says he’ll stand firm on beliefs — Baton Rouge, LA
LUTCHER — A priest from Lutcher says he does not intend to waver in his support of allowing women to become priests despite the threat of excommunication from the Roman Catholic Church.

“Who are we, as men, to say our calls are valid but tell women their callings are not,” the Rev. Roy Bourgeois said Wednesday.

“The call comes from God, not from the pope or from the Vatican. … I truly believe God is calling us to reform our church.”

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Dems could get one more senator.

Latest tally: Begich leads Stevens by 3 votes: Alaska News | adn.com
The elections division still has over 10,000 ballots left to count today and thousands more through next week, but the latest numbers show Mark Begich leading Sen. Ted Stevens 125,019 to 125,016.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Why Jindal turned McCain down.

Jindal: Never Vetted for VP - The Fix

While the official reason that Jindal took his name out of contention was his lack of a desire to leave the Louisiana governorship, there was also real trepidation within his political inner circle that Jindal might wind up as the pick -- McCain was attracted to his comprehensive health-care knowledge -- and be caught up in what they believed to be a less-than-stellar campaign that could pin a loss on Jindal without much ability to change or control the direction of the contest.

........
We have said for months -- keep an eye on Jindal. He is a comer.

More on Jindal for President.

Analysts think Jindal is acting like presidential candidate to be |  wwltv.com
Jindal’s trip to Iowa is to address the Iowa Family Policy Center as keynote speaker for their banquet. Not coincidentally, Iowa is the state with the first caucus of the presidential election cycle.

"Iowa is the first stand, so he has to branch out, make connections among several county chairs, state party leaders and Iowa is the first place to do so," said Brian Brox, a Tulane political science professor.

Click on the link to see the invitation and picture of Jindal. $5K for a "private reception" and $1.5k for a "photo opportunity."

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Vitter raised $200k for madam defense

Vitter officially closes 'Madam' legal fund; see complete list of donors | thenewsstar.com | The News Star
The Louisiana Republican raised $200,010 through 27 contributors, many who gave the maximum $10,000, in less than a month, according to documents requested and obtained by The News-Star from Vitter's office.

Among the 27 contributors are well-known political and business figures like Donald "Boysie" Bollinger of Bollinger Shipyards; John Georges of Imperial Trading Co., who ran unsuccessfully for governor last year; Gary Chouest, a shipbuilder and part owner of the New Orleans Hornets; and New Orleans banker and real estate mogul Joseph Canizaro.

Seven members of the Chouest family combined to contribute $40,000. All 27 contributors are from Louisiana.

Vitter became involved in the case in July 2007 when his telephone number was found within a list of numbers kept by Deborah Jane Palfrey, who was convicted in federal court on racketeering charges in April. She committed suicide shortly afterward.

Speculation about Jindal from the Washington Post

2008 Election: Winners and Losers - The Fix
Bobby Jindal: As the electoral map turned against McCain tonight, there was one name on the lips of dispirited GOP strategists: Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana. Jindal, elected in 2007 on a reform platform, is almost certain to become one of the fresh young faces (he is 37 years old and Indian American) a Republican party that finds itself deep in the wilderness will turn to in the coming months. Will Jindal run for president? It's too early to tell but he almost certainly will be a major player if he does decide to get into the race in 2012.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

President Obama!!!

Beautiful.

Voted

On my Johnston St. (southside) polling place. The registrar has not caught up with my move, though I changed my address more than a month ago. Not a long line --3 or 4-- but the most activity I have seen in 25 years. Usually it's just old folks, but this time some suspiciously hippy-looking folk seem to have infiltrated my district. No ragamuffins or bench dwellers, however.

Gobama!!!