On Bobby Jindal

I was looking forward to seeing Bobby Jindal provide the GOP response to Obama's "Don't Call it a State of the Union" address. Although I had heard my libertarian husband speak of him with hopeful tones, I knew absolutely nothing about him.

And really, after watching him, I was left disappointed.

I strongly feel that an effective leader must have the ability to present himself in an appealing way to his or her constituents. This is something that I thought President Reagan and President Obama both had nailed.

I think Clinton had it nailed too, but he had lots of other problems that I didn't like at ALL about him. Side note: he so poisoned me against the Clintons that I can't imagine ever supporting Hillary Clinton for public office!

President W. Bush connected with the public, but in a different way than any of his predecessors. I was sort of neutral-to-supportive of Bush until the Iraq War. And then I just grew to counting the days until him and his neo-Con cronies were out of office. Still, though, after all this, I'd love to have a beer with the guy. Or go to a baseball game with him. He seems like a down-to-earth likeable guy. And I do believe that (depending upon how we come out of this recession), history will be kinder to him than we all think right now.

Back on subject, President HW Bush was another guy who was smart, had lots of experience, but couldn't really connect with an audience. And I think that's the only reason he got voted out of office. Of course, the fact that he was old didn't help either as the country looked to a different generation to get us out of the early 90s economic doldrums.

So how does this relate to Jindal?

Well, from the moment he started talking, I suddenly felt like I was being talked down to. Like he was addressing his speech to my 2-year-old son. I didn't even register the words he was saying because I was so put-off by his delivery.

This was the man that was supposed to be the savior of the GOP? This was the GOPs answer to Obama? Uh, oh. Me thinks the Republicans are in some deep-do-do. Combine him with Sarah Palin and the Democrats could be in charge for the next 12 years!

In many respects, it's sad that a nation elects its leaders based on superficial things like looks and oratory and personality. But the plain and simple fact is, they do.

And if the Republicans hope to win back some of their lost ground, they certainly need to play into this in 2012.

On the content of Jindal's speech?

Let's start with whole "we won't accept any of this stimulus money in Louisiana." Wise choice--let's sacrifice the health and well-being of my constituents for my political future. Oh, and fail to mention that we've already accepted billions in aid for Katrina (billions well spent, imho).

I also found it entertaining how the GOP can slam Obama and the Democrats for spending too much money in a stimulus bill when they left us with the most crushing deficit of all--spending so much money on the war in Iraq that did nothing to help with jobs or growth of the GDP or anything. The far majority of it was just tossed away. The GOP made conscious decisions to pass on a huge tax burden to us and potentially our kids and then they turn around and slam the Democrats for adding to it.



Yo, Kettle. Hi, it's Pot here. Guess what? You're Black!