Most people are making fun of Bobby Jindal because he resembled a Mr. Rogers who had been bodysnatched by Grover Norquist or because he reminded people of Kenneth the Page from 30 Rock. But the really amusing thing was that he set forth an argument against Federal action to tackle the problems the country is facing. I don’t know if he expects the Louisiana Comptroller to fix the problems at Bank of America or if he thinks the president should beg the governors to create jobs when they’re facing record budget deficits. Who knows what he thinks, because none of it makes any sense. When I say that ‘We’re all liberals now’, I don’t mean that everyone is now literally a liberal or even that the Obama administration is pursuing a purely progressive agenda on all fronts. What I mean is that the argument against Federal action is dead. The issue of states’ rights is dead. We all liberals now because all our options are liberal options. No one gives a shit what Republicans think anymore and they just want them to shut the fuck up. Even some Republicans feel that way.
The Republican governor of Utah on Monday said his party is blighted by leaders in Congress whose lack of new ideas renders them so “inconsequential” that he doesn’t even bother to talk to them.
“I don’t even know the congressional leadership,” Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. told editors and reporters at The Washington Times, shrugging off questions about top congressional Republicans, including House Minority Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. “I have not met them. I don’t listen or read whatever it is they say because it is inconsequential – completely.”
What’s cracking me up is that the reason they selected Governor Bobby Jindal to respond to the president is because the congressional leadership is completely inconsequential so they wanted an ‘outside the beltway’ kind of guy. But, first of all, Gov. Jindal was a member of Congress until last year, and secondly, he had nothing to say that was in any way distinct from what John Boehner or Mitch McConnell might have said.
You want to know who could reasonably run against Obama in 2012? Dick Lugar or Chuck Hagel could do it if the Obama administration fails dramatically in foreign relations. Otherwise, this is a liberal nation now and will remain so even if the road ahead is rocky. The Republicans destroyed the conditions that made them possible.
Damn!! I didn’t bother watching it .. but reading all about it .. maybe I should … as it sounds like Jindal was a massive trainwreck
just what the gop needed: a resurrection of mccain’s “green screen” speech. the glow is off even in freeperville:
too bad. they were really counting on bobby … now it’s all up to sarah.
Given the comparison between Bobby Jindal and Kenneth from NBC’s “30 Rock” and of course the Sarah Palin vs Tina Fey comparisons ……
I’m beginning to think the writers of 30 rock, are using a jedhi mind trick on the republicans, to keep their show popular.
That is as least as plausible, as the GOP thinking that Palin and Jindal are the best they have, to go up against Obama in four years isn’t it?
Either that, or the Karma Gods have been working overtime, just to give comedians good material the last six months.
Do you think that comedy shows are now out there in the sticks, searching for up and coming Repub pols, and basing characters on them in order to be ahead of the curve?
jindal was the weirdest thing I’ve seen in some time.
he didn’t so muchy sound like mr. rogers as he did casey kasem. all I kept hearing in my head was the hilarious Negatuvland bit where they got kasem ranting about dedicating a song to a dead dog… which actually kind of fits Jindal’s fantasies.
ah, here it is:
I don’t think there is a worst speaker in the Republican Party than Jindal. Every single sentence, he dropped the diction at the end. Kind of “anti-valley-girl”. Really horrible style. In St. Louis, there is a furniture store that has a spokesperson just like Jindal. I couldn’t hear or understand a thing he said after five minutes because of his dreadful speaking style. He has never learned anything about how to speak, building cadences and strength, and then finding the release point. Horrible.
Wow. I didn’t watch it last night but I tried to this morning. 2:36 was all I could take.
IMO he is a competent governor administratively, which says a lot for an LA governor. But his ideology and leadership qualities will keep him from getting close to the White House, regardless of the GOP faithful think. His Mr. Rogers performance tonight might have even convince them he is not their savior.
Amazing too how he pathetically tried to bandwagon Obama’s “improbable story” theme. Not to diminish the effort of Jindal and his parents to find a way in America, but as political message, that story only works for the first person to tell it. Obama has said America has arrived to a point where someone like him can be President. For Bobby to say, “Yes I have an improbably story too” now comes off as, well, not so improbable.
Tone deaf
I think the Republicans are going to have a hard time coming up with any convincing argument for returning them to power. The last thirty years in general and the last eight years in particular are a splendid demonstration of where their ideas lead us. Our government is tottering on the edge of bankruptcy, our economy is on life support, our military is mired in two unwinnable wars, and we’re losing friends and gaining enemies by the day. The epic fubar situation we are in as a nation is the direct result of Republican ideas being put into practice since Reagan at least, and arguably since Nixon. The Republican party of today is a perfect illustration of that old saying:
Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it.
I take it, budr, that you will not be supporting the republican ticket in 2012.
The epic fail of the last 8 years is really hard to overlook. It’s obvious to all but about 25% of the population where those policies have gotten us, and you can’t win elections with 25% of the vote. Bringing out the old Gingrich GOP grab bag like Jindal did last night isn’t going to help them win any converts to their team.
Well maybe not every Republican in Congress. Jean Schmidt, who is usually to the right of Jesse Helms said:
“As a member of Congress sitting on the floor I could not help but feel proud of the history that was made here tonight. I was particularly proud of President Obama’s message of hope for our economy. Everyone should realize that the current economic problems are not overwhelming. Further, I hope that President Obama will abide by his message of fiscal restraint.”
-Congressperson Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio)
That’s not to say she has any better ideas than Obama but I think she realizes the storm we (she) are in.
In the theater of the absurd, here is the Republican contribution for 2012 – Palin and Jindal. The gods would die of laughter. Well, figuratively speaking.
I wish though that there was someone from the GOP leadership who would/could step up with something constructive which Obama could very publicly say, “Yes, that’s a great idea”.
It would do a lot to muzzle and reign in many Democrats in the House who are acting like idiots and it would give space for GOP members to do anything except continue to obstruct.
But the GOP leadership who think Jindal and Palin are the future because he is “not white” and she is “not a male”.
Reasonably?
What has been “reasonable” about the history of Ratpublican presidents over the last 50 years or so? Were Nixon, Reagan or the Bushes “reasonable?”( Or did you maybe mistype and leave a letter out? Maybe you meant “treasonable?”)
Do not forget der Governator. Although the “Obama is not a native-born citizen” thing isn’t going to work, it does allow for a little wiggle room. Should the Rats regain a congressional majority in 2010 (I know. Not likely. But stranger things have happened.) Arnie Baby could run in 2012. Don’t discount Bloomberg, either. Hell…he could buy the presidency and probably would have done so by now if he didn’t think that anti-Jewish prejudice would ultimately do him in.
Or…should there be a massive upswing in anti-minority hatred fanned by severe economic conditions (an occurrence that has happened repeatedly throughout the history of the world), The Winking Dominatrix (SarahGrrl) could sashay in with her stiletto heels, her tight sheath skirts and whiplike tongue to save the day for the Rats.
Remember Booman…there is a solid 30%+ plus population of the United States that is just like the Republicans that you are so blithely declaring DOA. That is a much greater percentage of the population than the one that most resembles Barack Obama in any manner whatsoever, be it racially, culturally or in terms of native intelligence. Bet on it. Should the Obama administration fail to any appreciable degree either internationally or domestically there is easily a 40% swing vote here, and all the Rats need is a little more than half of that vote to come right back to power again in 2012.
It ain’t over ’til the Fat Lady loses some weight.
Or simply disappears.
Bet on it.
Later…
AG
I’m not following your thinking, Arthur. How does Schwarzenegger run for Prez? The Repubs changing the Constitution in two years? And although being the spawn of Nazis is almost as good as being the spawn of Nazi bankers (Prescott Bush), Arnold probably couldn’t win the Republican primary here in California (if they have Republican primaries in 2012) considering he actually believes in tax revenue, something the Repub locals find antithetical to their belief system. Arnold has served the rich well, but has run the state into the ground. Maybe in the future he can be the ambassador to Latvia, but I think this is the end of his political career.
But anything can happen in politics if the people who really run the game want it to happen. I have seen the truth of this way too often. Seen its results too often as well.
Listen…Obama has been installed in the White House. He is being given a trial run, nothing more. Should he show signs of failure, it’s Plan B.
Which Plan B?
My own bet is that Palin, Schrwarzenegger and mainstream guys like Hegel and Lugar are all in the mix. Only the popularity polls will dictate who is eventually chosen should a relief pitcher be deemed necessary.
Watch.
And hope that Obama is successful in his efforts.
Later…
AG
Obama’s event and the aftermath struck me as some kind of watershed cultural moment. I may be uniquely slow to adjust to the spectacle of seeing and hearing an intelligent, articulate human who has a plan and a vision speaking as the American president.
So I’m sitting there slackjawed with the novelty of it all, steeling myself for the lethal thrust about to spring from the storied might of the Also-Dark Avenger, only to watch a furtive gray creature slink out from behind a doorway in what might be considered an attempt at a dramatic entrance if rat colonies put on PTA fashion shows. (Beset by an open PBS mike, Lehrer or one of his sidekicks let out an “Oh God” for the world to savor).
The creature then proceeded to emit a soft whine recapping the failed prophesies collected from half a century of government-hating GOP rhetoric, and pledging its — on the face of it negligible — strength and power to keep that faith.
I think the game is to induce overconfidence among the Enemy. Or, if American government cannot be starved to death, to kill it with pathos. Whichever, they’re doing it very well. All that remains if for Sarah to forsake Great White Hunter and make herds of born-free babies with Bobbi for the edification of the masses that are bored and repulsed by the spectacle of competent humans running the government. In the meantime the Rest of Us get to enjoy the GOP’s effort to reanimate the spirit of Charlie Chaplain as Darth Vader. Just when you thought the interesting times might be nearing a pause.
Point of order. If the Obama presidency and its policies fail, WE ALL FAIL and 2012 really won’t matter. There won’t be much of our country left. As far as Jindal goes, I read somewhere that he’s a Rhodes scholar. If true, the man must have learned virtually nothing. Or Oxford has really lowered their standards to the point where anyone qualifies. He’s no different than the rest of the GOP stable. Wind them up, pull the string and watch them all say exactly the same thing.