Bobby Jindal must be one hell of a backroom guy.
How else could his continued success in politics be explained? He’s a pretty average-looking guy, not blessed with any great charisma or oratory prowess. His one-note, pro-business agenda has gotten him a good run with the Louisiana electorate, but he’s never seemed like much of an idea man.
For a long time, his blandness and Indian heritage made him a valuable asset to an overwhelmingly white Republican Party, desperate to appear modern but still appease its conservative base. It even got him a chance at almost, maybe running for vice president on John McCain’s ticket in 2008.
But in his head, Jindal must have gotten his usefulness to his party confused with actual ability and appeal as a leader, because all signs indicate he’s gearing up for a run at the presidency.
A collaborative investigation between NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune and WVUE found Jindal spent millions of dollars in campaign funds in the past few years, including $150,000 in travel costs, despite the fact he can’t run for a third term as governor.
All this cross-country jet-setting certainly suggests he is trying to put his name out there for a presidential run, and Jindal himself said he won’t consider running for a political office other than the presidency.
Never mind the fact Jindal’s use of state campaign funds to lead into a federal campaign is, in a NOLA.com writer’s words, an “evasion of the spirit — if not the letter” of campaign law. Does Jindal really think he has a chance at winning the presidency?
For the last several years, he’s been more focused on showing his face on the sidelines at every Republican rally and tea party than addressing the issues facing the state.
Louisiana is basically a public health disaster, nearing the top of the charts for HIV/AIDS, diabetes and obesity. But for Jindal, it’s more politically expedient for him to distance himself from anything to do with President Barack Obama and healthcare, so he turned down millions of dollars to expand the state’s Medicaid program.
But you can’t say Jindal hasn’t brought some benefits to the state. His pro-business policies and tax cuts have made it easier than ever to start and run a business in the state. If that means the state can’t afford to run a couple of hospitals or hire new teachers, well, that’s the just the price of good business, right?
The tax credits for the entertainment industry he’s overseen have brought a new industry with plenty of jobs and state revenue and an improved national profile.
Twenty years ago, when people thought of Louisiana, they thought of corrupt politicians and KKK members running for governor. Now, they think Phil Robertson and the “Choot ‘Em” guy. I guess that’s an improvement.
It’s been pretty obvious for a while that Jindal has been angling for a run at the Oval Office, but he’s long since alienated the people of his home state — on whom he should be able to rely.
At one point, Jindal looked like a rising star of the Republicans. But at this point, he’s more of a burnout.
Gordon Brillon is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from Lincoln, Rhode Island. You can reach him on Twitter @TDR_GBrillon.