Even though voters decided on a second term for newly re-elected President Barack Obama less than three weeks ago, many major news outlets are already predicting the 2016 presidential election.
The Spectator blog has placed 25-to-1 odds on Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal winning the White House.
More likely, blogger Jonathan Jones wrote, are Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s chances, with 5-to-1 odds.
Bob Mann, director of the Reilly Center for Media and Public Affairs and mass communication professor, weighed in on the potential nominees.
“If you’re a Democrat who wants to keep the White House, you need to be praying Hillary Clinton runs,” Mann said.
He said if Clinton does not run, he has “no idea” who would step up as the natural successor for the Democrats.
As for Jindal, Mann noted his trip to Iowa earlier this year to support an Iowan Supreme Court candidate, and his “brilliant” move to speak to Politico after the election, when he contradicted many previous statements.
Mann said in a few months, the campaign will start as Jindal, Florida Gov. Marco Rubio and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie begin trips to Iowa as well as other swing states and early caucus states.
“It won’t be long until you see the campaign actually start,” he said.
Mann said the back-and-forth beginning so soon is not surprising.
He simplified the reason behind the four-years-early hype, saying the political journalism industry “has to feed the insatiable needs of political junkies.”
He said the election and hype leading up will be even more exciting because there will be no incumbent for either party.
This past year, Mann said, the news could only capitalize on the Republican party’s drama.
In 2015, both parties will host primaries, and according to a conglomeration of potential nominees on multiple websites, there are more than 20 possibilities for each party.
Potential Democrats besides Clinton include current Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro.
As a Republican potential candidate, Jindal must tread the fine line between keeping his conservative Louisiana base happy and appealing to the nationwide spectrum of more moderate right-wing constituents, Mann said.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal speaks in Hot Springs, Ark., on July 27, 2012.
