(From what I've read he started calling himself "Bobby" at the age of four after watching a Brady Bunch episode.)
I woke up this morning to Juan Williams on NPR gushing about what a "rock star" Jindal was in Louisiana and how successful he's been etc. and how he's the GOP's answer to Obama because he's a person of color and I was, like, huh?
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.p... Who the hell is this guy? I mean, I've heard of him, but what's his deal?
What pricked up my ears was this quote from Meet The Press: "
I think now is the time and it's a great opportunity for Republican governors and other leaders to offer conservative-based solutions to the problems."
And the one from the WH lawn: "
Certainly, I think this could've been a very different stimulus bill written, truly targeted at infrastructure, focused on the kinds of tax credits that get investments moving in private sector." (I thought that's what the banks did.)
Yeah, because conservative-based solutions and the private sector have done such great jobs getting it right the past eight years.
Sounds like the same old crap to me, no? What's so new and interesting about this guy?
NPR reports:
"The first-term governor is a rising star in the national GOP who is increasingly popping up on talk shows and at events outside his state. That's leading to speculation that Jindal, 37, is being urged to run for the presidency."
Well, no shit! That's what he's been doing since he got elected as govenor. Six months into his term he was off meeting with John McCain to apply for the VEEP job and everyone in Louisiana has kind of noticed he's never around.
Get this: from Jeremy Alford of the Gambit:
"As an unprecedented $2 billion shortfall eats away at health care and higher education while state government braces for lockdown, Gov. Bobby Jindal has found a new way to address tough challenges: hitting the road. It's a sad day when, as Rome burns, the only thing you see of the emperor is his derriere as he hightails it out of town, but such is the case.
Consider his recent schedule:
Friday, Jan. 30 — Jindal spent the first part of his day at the Rapides Parish Courthouse discussing his legislative priorities for cracking down on sex offenders. While that's a worthy cause, the governor knows he doesn't need to beat this drum. Is anyone rising to the defense of sex offenders? Of course not. It's a PR move, a distraction.
Wednesday, Feb. 4 — In an effort to raise his national profile to help him not run for president, Jindal traveled to North Carolina for a campaign fundraiser 'in support of his gubernatorial re-election campaign.'
The Shaw Group Inc., a Baton Rouge-based Fortune 500 company and frequent political player, served as host.
While Jindal was in another state, Louisiana officials unveiled plans to raid a special transportation fund to the tune of $750 million to help pay for a package of roads and bridges that voters approved more than 20 years ago.
Back on the trail of sex offenders, Jindal traveled to Monroe and Lafayette to tout his legislative priority."
http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/Conte... (Read about his "ethics reform" here, which I'm sure will come up tonight:
http://bestofneworleans.com/gyrobase/Conte... )
And who is the Shaw group, BTW? Well, they gave him $18,000 the last time he ran for congress, for a start. They keep coming up every time Jindal is mentioned, some how.
Sourcewatch says:
"After Katrina hit, the Shaw group hired the former head of the Projects and Contracting Office in Baghdad, Charles Hess, who also had experience working at FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers.
As well, Shaw is one of several companies who won contracts from FEMA who are represented by former FEMA head, Joe Allbaugh. Other clients include Fluor Corporation and Kellogg Brown and Root.
Formed Shaw-Formiconi, CA (now known as Manufacturas Shaw South America, CA), a partnership with Formiconi CA to operate a fabrication facility in Venezuela. (they do business with Hugo Chavez! Ya Dios Mio!)
In 2004 Shaw created a joint venture, Shaw CENTCOM Services, LLC, with construction companies in Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia"
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title... .
These guys are really well connected, I'd say. And they like Jindal!
Get this, too, the lowdown on one of their big shots:
"Jeffery S. Merrifield, vice-president of the company's power group, was on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission two weeks before he joined the Shaw Group. In his last few months at the NRC, 'Merrifield vigorously championed several major policy initiatives that directly benefited his future employer,' including a change that reduced government and public oversight of new nuclear power plant construction, and changes to the approval process for new nuclear plant construction that scaled back public hearings and public comment periods."
I'd say if Jindal becomes president the nuclear power industry and KBR will get right back in the saddle.
Again, more of the same.
And he likes to rewrite history for the benefit of his energy friends:
Thingprogress pointed out this exchange on Faux Snooze regarding Katrina:
Jindal: "You know, that’s one of the great unwritten success stories, after Katrina and Rita, these awful storms, no major spills."
Jindal is clueless about the reality in his own state. As noted in the Wonk Room, the Hurricanes caused offshore oil spills so large that they could be seen from space. The Minerals Management Service reported that 113 oil platforms were 'totally destroyed' — a total of 124 offshore spills.
In fact, oil seeped onshore into southeast Louisiana, which saw 44 onshore and offshore oil spills. The EPA called the spills 'worse than the worst-case scenario.' Even oil industry representatives admitted: 'nature can always topple you.'
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/06/27/jindal... /
I'm sure there's a lot more dirt on this guy, but the intertubes are mainly full of stuff praising him. He's big into PR and he does a good job promoting himself and the media is kind of asleep at the wheel, so far, as usual.
Anyone got anything else on him (besides the excorism thing)? I'm thinking we should get the ball rolling before the media decides Obama is old news and Bobby is 'the new black' after tonight.
(Edit for spelling)
