…when she could say nothing at all:
Can’t say I blame Rachel for being speechless. Governor Jindal squandered a huge opportunity last night with his “response” to President Obama’s address. I was a bit disappointed, too. I’d heard a lot about this popular governor; he has a reputation for wide support from the right and left, and is often mentioned as a rising star in the Republican Party.
First, let’s discuss style. Jindal sounded, to my ears, almost exactly like Kenneth the Page from 30 Rock. It was distracting, as were his strained smiles and awkward facial expressions. He came across as unpolished and, frankly, when taking into account the content of his speech, almost childish. If he’s going to give President Obama a real challenge in 2012, he has a lot of work to do.
But the important failure here is in what Jindal said - and didn’t say. There was nothing in his speech to indicate that he listened to the President’s address. This is a huge failure on Jindal’s part, since one wouldn’t have to hear Obama’s speech to predict some of the issues that would be raised. Instead, Jindal discussed, at length, Hurricane Katrina. He talked about his personal role in the unfolding crisis, but mainly focused on the inefficiencies of bureaucracy, following it up with a feel-good bit about Americans risking life and limb to help each other in times of need.
Jindal didn’t respond to the issues at hand. He started to turn the speech into a quasi-campaign speech, which might have been ok except that he didn’t really provide a path or a vision, instead relying on cliched platitudes about government vs people. I think the GOP probably regrets putting Jindal up for the response, and I think he may well have ruined his short-term chances for a GOP nomination nod.
Then again, an interesting tidbit from Politico (emphasis mine):
“Obama gave a polished performance, as usual. Jindal’s act needs a lot of work,” said John J. Pitney Jr., a political science professor at California’s Claremont McKenna College. “His basic message was sound but his language was hackneyed and his performance was wooden. Fortunately he has a lot of time to improve his delivery. In the year 2040 he will still be younger than McCain was in 2008.”
What was your reaction to Jindal’s speech?
Posted under Obama, news, politics
Like Rachel, I was nearly speechless. Jindal’s presentation was embarrassing. He reminded me of Alfalfa in “Our Gang” comedies of the late 1930’s.
Previously touted as a smart fellow, ‘good speaker’ and potential future candidate, I was taken aback with his deer in the headlights appearance and poor verbal delivery. And I strongly disagree with Pitney’s opinion that at least the message was sound. His example of the electric hover rail to Disneyland from Las Vegas had been debunked days before and made him look silly… just to name one technical problem with the substance… and the sinking feeling he had not read Obama’s speech before writing his didn’t help.
His assurance that the Republicans really want to work with the Administration was odd in juxtaposition to boldly calling Obama’s stimulus package “irresponsible”. I finally had to take out my suction cup dart gun when he suggested that the Republicans hadn’t produced any “pork” in past legislation but merely “went along with it (Democrats)”. That was intellectually insulting. NOW the GOP is the keeper of fiscal responsibility? This time-waster was just another in a long line of Republican speeches that seem out of touch with reality and continue to sell tax cuts and letting the economy right itself rather than involving the government. Didn’t work before. Why would it now?
Economists say that the stimulus needed to be bigger but the Republicans broke necks to make it smaller. They also warn that much of the continued public spending freeze is psychological… fear based… yet the Republicans keep fear mongering by warning that the Administration’s plan is irresponsible, Democratic business as usual and “just won’t work”. Jindal’s wrap up assuring Americans that, as his daddy said, “we can do anything” just sounded schizophrenic.
I’m still asking myself…. what was his message?
Reply to Postit2UVery well said! I too was speechless!
Reply to littlequeenieOf course, coming after Obama’s speech, I think just about anyone would have fallen flat, but yes, he was ridiculous. I have been so disgusted with him lately with his refusal to take the stimulus money for unemployment benefits, but thought he might make some sense, somewhere in his speech.
It was pathetic and condescending. Hard to believe he is such an intelligent man.
He looks and sounds like the perfect companion for Sarah Palin
I’d say with the GOP batters up of Palin, Steele and now Jindal…. three strikes… they’re out!
Yes… a Palin / Jindal ticket would be amusing. I’m all for it!!!!
Reply to Postit2URight - and it would definitely have to be a Palin/Jindal ticket, not the other way around.
One thing that occurred to me when I found out they’d be using Jindal for the response was how confused the GOP seems to be right now. They were stunned by Obama’s highly successful campaign, and now are trying to figure out how to duplicate it - rather than come up with their own identity. It’s an interesting role reversal; for so long it seemed the Dems were the ones playing defense and catch-up.
Thanks for commenting!
Reply to stuperbI totally agree, but his speech was so lacking in substance that I find it hard to work myself up about it. It was just plain bizarre, and the GOP base should be insulted that he talked to them like that.
Reply to stuperbIt seemed to me that they were trying to provide an Obama alternative…. young, attractive?, well-educated, well-spoken?, exotic or non-Caucasian as a potential opposition candidate. What we got was “Obama Lite”.
Having just passed through the second celebrity gala (Golden Globes and Oscars) it reminds me of the dresses they present as the “affordable alternative”. The $200 dress that looks very similar to the $20,000 designer dress. That’s what the Obama/Jindal comparison is to me.
Jindal is no Obama. His performance in Louisiana to date has proven that. He has already been on the verge of recall once and on the day he gave this chaotic speech 6 people were shot in a Mardi Gras parade crowd. New Orleans is far from made whole again and all of that can’t be blamed on the mayor. He seems ineffective in getting things done in his state and to bring up the issue of corruption in his speech was just plain bizarre… New Orleans being the capital of crime and corruption and all. I would say all of his attention needs to go into rebuilding his state right now… not auditioning for the 2012 election… or giving political advice.
His speech showed that the GOP doesn’t know who they are or what they believe in at the moment…. and that they have no real leaders. Michael Steele was another example of parity to the Obama figure which was a gigantic, almost laughable, flop.
Perhaps if they worked harder on their image as cooperative rebuilders rather than combative competitors at this time of crisis they would be more successful at repairing their image and winning supporters.
Reply to Postit2UThe best Bobby “Obama-Lite” (It is funny how so many immediately referred to Jindahl as this) had to offer is for America to trust them because they are fiscal conservatives who went astray? This is how they are trying to frame their showing in the 2008 elections? They are more stubborn than my 4 year-old, except my 4 year-old has an easier time understanding and learning about boundary issues.
The Republicans have no intention of toning down their mean-spirited attacks on people of color. Expect a ton of water melon and fried chicken jokes for the next four years.
To compare “Obama-lite” to Kenenth the Page is an insult to the comedy writers of 30 Rock. Kenneth is more real, as a fictitious character, than Bobby “Obama-Lite” could ever be as a non-fictitious person. I had to chuckle when I thought “this is the best they have to offer? They think all they have to do is find their own person of color to win the next election? Sorry, another empty vessel will not do it next time around.
Reply to Peter Coyotl