Reactions to Jindal's Rebuttal to Obama's Speech to Congress have been all over the spectrum. Here is a representative sample from the blogosphere:
- Jindal is the real deal. It's the audacity of executive competence.
- It's clear from historical examples...that Bobby Jindal is vastly more effective working without a set script. He knows the message, but he delivers it much better off the cuff.
- Last night he looked nervous and testosterone-deficient. He needs to hit the weights.
- Regardless of what anyone thought of him last night, and I was pretty hard on him, you can't deny the effectiveness of the Today interview. The GOP should put him on every interview show they can find.
- Given all the goof ups and gaffes Obama has provided, Jindal shouldn't be worried. First impressions? How about showing the steady hand Jindal displayed when Louisiana was facing Hurricane Gustav. That was leadership.
- Four years from now, this won't even be a blip.
- I remember Reagan looking woefully unprepared and completely out of his depth in his first debate against Walter Mondale. And we all know how that turned out. If the GOP wants to turn this around, all of their image consultants and handlers for their various candidates should be taken out and...
- As a loyal Obama supporter, is it too early for me to contribute some cash to this cat's presidential campaign?
From Lorie Byrd:
Jindal has only just gotten started. He had a larger audience on Today for his follow up to last night's response. He and other Republicans have to continue to hammer the absurdity of Obama's policies and reckless spending, and provide reasonable, common sense alternatives.
Those Dems here who think Jindal is toast must not have watched the video. Today has a humongous audience. I wouldn't be surprised if more people did see the Today interview than saw the speech last night.
1. He will be underestimated now. That is always better than being overestimated. If I had not had such sky high expectations for Jindal last night I probably would have thought the speech was just fine.
2. Jindal is brilliant off the cuff. You know, in the real world, without a script. His mastery of the facts is incredible. Obama is a brilliant teleprompter speaker. Take away his teleprompter and he uh, uh, has uh, a little, uh, trouble.
3. If Jindal continues to do interviews like the one he did today on Today he will be a superstar by the time 2012 rolls around. That Dems don't get that only helps us. That Dems don't understand how devastating it is for Jindal to point out that Dems didn't even read the bill and still don't know what is in it, only helps Republicans.
4. Jindal showed last night a weakness in reading from a teleprompter into a camera. If you read the speech he gave last night, the content is good. Had he given a smooth polished speech full of fluff (Hope'n Change) that would have done more damage because it would have been at odds with his image as someone with a bright, quick mind who can get things done in his state.
My take:
Obama supporters can heave a big sigh of relief—Jindal has a weakness: in front of a teleprompter, he gives a lackluster performance. But Democrats know Jindal is a force to be reckoned with. Jindal's conservative vision and intellect are razor sharp. He needs to work on his teleprompter skills, but he can beat Obama. I'd love to see those two square off in a debate. Jindal would clean Obama's clock.
More
The Jindal Phenomenon
Jindal, while also religious and conservative, speaks the language of the knowledge class and will not be easily caricatured or dismissed. To journalists, policy experts and Rhodes scholars, Jindal is also "one of us." At this point in the election cycle, no Republican can be considered more than the flavor of the month. But this is an appealing one.
The Real Bobby Jindal
The GOP should put him on every interview show they can find.
Jindal, Take 2
Bobby Jindal bounced back this morning from a generally-panned performance to an energetic performance on Today. He gives Meredith Viera a slew of specifics, arguing with more intensity about the pitfalls of Porkulus.
Governor Bobby Jindal On The Today Show
6 comments:
I agree with everything you've said about Jindal...I think he's a Republican star.
But we _need_ to clear up the natural born birth certificate thing. The Dems will _not_ let this pass if it's a problem. They're likely to let it lie until Jindal is the nominee and the Repubs are really hot for him, and then bring legal action to get him disqualified, leaving the party in a pothole - no, make that a sink hole.
We need to get it done _now_ so that if he's _not_ eligible, we can focus on someone else. Get it out of the way.
And oh yeah...they should lose that full front face photo they use for him...makes him look really dorky. The photos you have make him look much more like a regular joe...
Suek: I'm not sure how to clear up the issue at this point. Jindal has been asked many times if he plans to run for president. If he had eligibility problems, I'm sure he would come right out and say "I'm not eligible, so I won't be running." He's not a slickster like Obama, so I don't think he will play games. I feel confident that he will clarify this issue to everyone's satisfaction.
The pictures, yes. There are some bad pictures of Jindal. The GOP needs to send some photographers down to Baton Rouge to get some better pics. And it probably would be a good idea if they bought him a gym membership, he needs to bulk up a little.
Jindal is a diamond in the rough at this point. He's not running for president yet, but we don't have all the time in the world to spare. I just hope the GOP doesn't do to him what they did to Palin and put him in the wrong places at the wrong time and play to his weaknesses instead of his strengths.
The Dems were always smart enough to put Obama in the right place a the right time. They didn't expose his weaknesses. Obama avoided townhall meetings with McCain because he knew it wouldn't be to his advantage. Without a teleprompter, Obama sounds dopey.
Similarly, for all her brilliance in giving speeches, Palin looks bad in hostile interviews with Democrat reporters. She sits there looking like she's fantasizing about wringing their necks. After doing poorly with the Gibson interview, that should have been the end of it. No interviews with the likes of Katie C. Maybe press conferences would have worked better for her.
Here's the point. The GOP needs to work on enhancing the image of its brightest stars instead of making them look worse. As you've noted, they're not doing a good job. I hope Michael Steele is paying attention to this problem.
Question about Jindal's natural born citizen status? Huh? What is the question? He was born in the U.S., I don't see the problem.
Please explain.
>>He's not a slickster like Obama, so I don't think he will play games.>>
I agree. Everything I've seen about him indicates that he's really the kind of person that would make an outstanding president. Yes, he needs to work on speaking - at least with the teleprompter, if that was the issue this time. Heaven knows that Bush's big problem on getting the country behind him on the Iraq war was a lot of just not getting out there and _talking_ to the people. Dems could say anything, and he wouldn't come back at them. That's _not_ a good thing. All talk is no good, but no talk is also no good.
And which is why, by the way, I want the natural birth thing cleared up. Clearly and definitely.
Jennifer...
If I understand it correctly, at the time of Jindal's birth, the law required that in order to be a natural born citizen (as opposed to being a just plain citizen) as required by the Constitution, a newborn had to be born in the USA (which he was) and also that one parent had to be a US citizen. Jindal's parents were _not_ US citizens at the time of his birth. His father was naturalized when he was 2 years old.
Remember, this is not a question of whether he's a citizen or not, but whether he's a "natural born citizen" as required by the Constitution. Otherwise, Schwarzenburg could be president (heaven help us!)
Jennifer: I'm not sure there is a problem, but suek knows more than I do.
suek: I think Jindal should give his speeches off the cuff, maybe a few notes to stay on track, whatever works for him. Overall, Jindal communicates better than Obama as far as I'm concerned (when he's talking about what's on his mind, as opposed to canned speeches.) Obama gives a good, emotionally charged sermon, but it's all fluff.
Ummm...that should have been Schwarzeneger, not Schwarzenburg...!
And please understand - I'm actually in favor of Jindal. I'm also aware that Dems apply laws selectively. One of Alinsky's principles is to make sure your opponents follow the rules to the letter - all of them. And of course, they ignore what gets in their way.
If you're not familiar with Alinsky and his principles for overthrowing a government peacefully, please make yourself familiar with it/them. Obama is an Alinsky disciple, and has used his methods to the letter to get where he is today. We all need to be aware.
Post a Comment