Sorry for the light posting, but the Annual Meeting has been so busy, I haven’t had time. I wasn’t really all that happy with the McCain speech. I think he could have, well, really should have, hit this one out of the park. McCain has a real problem with the base, and coming to speak to the NRA regulars, the die-hards, and saying you want to shut down private sales, is not a great way to endear yourself to them. That’s not to say I’m not voting for him, because let’s face it, the choice is between getting hit by a bike, or getting hit by a dump truck. I’ll join Kevin Baker’s McCain ’08 Campaign.
We heard Bobby Jindal, Governor of Louisiana, speak at the NRA Banquet last night, and let me tell you, that guy is impressive. Frank talk about what happened in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina, and the efforts he took in Congress to make sure it never happened again. Why couldn’t we have him instead of McCain? Either way, Jindal probably needs to get an already impressive record in Louisiana further cemented, but if your political reputation can be that you cleaned up Louisiana, there’s no limit to what you can accomplish, including, probably, running for President. If Jindall is what we have to look forward to in the Republican Party, I feel pretty good about the future. Election ’08 is going to be rough, but there is hope for the future.
Jindal is the perfect candidate to balance McCain as VP.
He’s Southern. He’s hard Right. He’s young. He’s a financial Genius. Last, but not least, he’s got an immigrant, come from nowhere, story that makes Obama look like a slacker.
Is he a true immigrant or second generation and where can I get one of those bumper stickers?
If Jindal is an immigrant he can’t be VP.
Second generation immigrant, born in Baton Rouge.
He’s an interesting option. I’m doubtful McCain would take it, though. He’s very much hard right and very much heavily converted Christian. While Obama can get away with writing a book about his own drug use, Jindal’s writings on ‘spiritual warfare’ are not going to stay under the radar. A heavily anti-abortion, pro-Intelligent Design history combined with that is going to make it very, very easy to make the man look like a crazed member of the vast Evil Christian Right
Add in his support for RealID, and you’ve got enough to scare the soft parts off most libertarians. Not so much that a Obama/Hillary ticket will look better for most, but enough to get the Reasoniods frothing at the mouth.
I’m not to sure how Piyush polls, either.
The man’s got it where it counts — keeping any medical facility running in the black post-EMTALA is impressive, and the stuff that he actually could matter on he’s got right — but that’s probably not what McCain’s looking hardest for right now.
Sorry Sebastian, but I got to disagree with you here. In 2008 there is only 1 question that matters – do we win the war on terror? Or do we allow the Democrats and Move-On.org and Code Pink to turn us into a bunch of neutered Europeans.
Everything else is secondary or a non issue.
And on that, McCain is lightyears ahead of the two Dummocrats.
That and the Supreme Court. Sandy Frohman made an excellent point today: if you “sit out” this election and hand the reigns to the guy who filibustered Alito and couldn’t even support Roberts because he doesn’t have a big enough heart, you may end up involuntarily “sitting out” the next 50 years.
One more wrinkle: as odious as it may seem to reward the guy who co-authored McCain-Feingold, the best way to get rid of that law may be to elect the guy who has a decent chance of appointing at least one (and we only need one) Justice willing to strike it down.
Countertop said: “In 2008 there is only 1 question that matters – do we win the war on terror?”
While there are many important issues this election, I don’t think that terrorism is #1 with terribly many people. Paying $4 plus / gal once or twice a week sticks in the memory much more than 9-11, even as heinous as that act was. People are thinking about the economy – and they are wondering whether the massive $$ being spent to wage a war on terror are really in their best interests.
What’s more, I submit that we may very easily be asking “do we win the war on terror?” in a hundred years from now. Getting a grip on terrorism is like getting a grip on a fistful of sand underwater. And many people realize this.
On a happy note, Ted Kennedy was hospitalized over the weekend with “stroke-like” symptoms. Let’s hope this spells the end of his political career.
Sebastian, if by “bike”, you mean motorcycle, I’d be inclined to agree with you. If not, I think you overestimate the difference between McCain and the other two Democrats.
The image is hilarious! I wish i could get that as a bumper sticker for my car – it pretty much sums up the 2008 election!
Sebastian…
Just noticed something. Did you feel “dissed” by McCain? Does that explain “dissapointment?”
Clever.
It was nice meeting you before the banquet.
Jindal needs more time to pad his resume. Louisiana also needs him to succeed in cleaning up the sewer of corruption, cronyism & nepotism down there. THAT would be a great success story to tell.
i think that mccain should get romney its the only one that makes sense