Governor Bobby Jindal was never a plausible winner of the Republican nomination and, given his state’s relative lack of importance and cultural alienation from most swing states, he’s not a plausible pick for vice-president either. He’s not even popular in his home state, nor can he point to a successful two terms running Louisiana. He appears to be running for president because he actually has nothing better to do.
But his staff must think he has a puncher’s chance, so they’ve concocted a plan to go after Donald Trump. By doing so, they hope to raise his public profile and get some movement in the Iowa polls.
Their strategy is going to be different from how Rick Perry, Jeb Bush, and Lindsey Graham have attacked The Donald. Evidently, they think they can go on the offensive without getting the snot knocked out of their heads.
In a Thursday speech that was previewed by his advisors, the Louisiana governor will begin a concerted campaign to discredit the New York businessman/entertainer who sits atop nearly every poll in the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Jindal began the effort on Wednesday, releasing a campaign web video that compared Trump to Charlie Sheen during an infamous interview the actor gave in the aftermath of a drug overdose…
…Where others have focused on Trump’s ideological inconsistency and liberal positions on key issues, Jindal will call him a clown who is unfit to serve as president at such a pivotal moment in the nation’s history.
“He’s not going to pull any punches,” Jindal campaign chief strategist Curt Anderson told reporters.
I’m not saying there are any better ideas for Jindal. Personally, I think trying to get him elected president is a lot like trying to launch the Space Shuttle using nothing but a rubber band. It’s not the strategy that’s the problem.
This will get him some free media attention and I’m sure Trump will respond in his typical fashion by pointing out inconvenient facts like a poll in May showing that President Obama is better liked in the bayou than the governor who, by the way, isn’t the best-looking guy.
What’s significant, or different, is that Jindal isn’t trying to score points here by saying he’s the more genuine or “severe” conservative. He’s just going to call Trump an entertainer, and an unhinged one at that.
I have this idea, though, that in a contest of ad hominem attacks with Donald Trump, Bobby Jindal is going to get the snot knocked out of his head.
This strategy is still probably better than nothing because it will get some people to actually notice that Jindal is running. And a lot of people will agree with him. I know that I will agree with him.
But I don’t vote in the Republican caucuses in Iowa.
[Cross-posted at Progress Pond]
