Posted on 01/14/2008 10:44:32 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Despite the amusing designation as “Bush’s Asian-babe PR shill,” loyal readers know how unhappy I’ve been with the GOP leadership in Washington–and how ambivalent I feel about the GOP presidential field.
There is one Republican I’m absolutely thrilled about, though: Bobby Jindal.
He’s taking office today as Louisiana governor. It’s a historic moment–and a proud moment:
The inauguration was set to begin at 10 a.m. with music from the West Monroe High School marching band. Pascal Calogero, chief justice of the state Supreme Court, was to swear in the 36-year-old Jindal at noon. He’ll be Louisiana’s first nonwhite governor since Reconstruction…
…Jindal, a Republican, succeeds Democrat Kathleen Blanco, who chose not to run for re-election to a second term after harsh criticism of her response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The Oxford-educated son of Indian immigrants, Jindal leaves a U.S. House seat to become governor. He won the gubernatorial post outright in the October primary, getting 54 percent of the vote in a field of a dozen candidates — reversing his loss to Blanco four years earlier.
The boyish-looking Jindal will be the youngest U.S. governor in office, but he’s used to being among the youngest faces in the room at many of his previous posts.
Just 32 during his first gubernatorial run, Jindal by then already had served as Louisiana’s health care secretary, president of one of its university systems and an assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under President Bush. Republican former Gov. Mike Foster tapped Jindal to be the state’s health secretary in 1996, when Jindal was only 24.
You can watch the ceremony live here.
The Daily Advertiser of Lafayette welcomes Jindal:
Today, Bobby Jindal becomes governor of Louisiana. He will face major challenges in his new position, particularly as he strives for adoption of his No. 1 goal - rewriting the state’s ethics code. Determined to make Louisiana ethics the “gold standard” for the nation, he will call a special session to deal only with ethics reform. If he fails, he will continue calling special sessions until the reform package is adopted.
We believe he can win the ethics reform battle and meet all his other challenges, which include hurricane recovery measures, health-care improvements, economic reform, improvements in education, successfully combating crime, increasing safety for Louisiana citizens and analyzing and monitoring state spending.
Jindal has proved himself in the arena of government service. We first took notice of him in 1996, when he was appointed secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. That put him in charge of 12,000 employees and a $4 billion budget - in his first government job. He inherited a $400 million budget deficit and, in a relatively short period of time, turned it into a $220 million budget surplus. In 1998, he was appointed executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the future of Medicare.
He returned to state government in 1999, accepting the post of president of the University of Louisiana system.
In 2001, he was nominated by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. That made him the top policy adviser to the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
His experience has undoubtedly prepared him to deal with Louisiana’s many health-care problems. Serving as president of the University of Louisiana system prepared him to deal with education issues.
…Jindal brings to the governor’s office broad experience, proven ability and a remarkable intellect. He has a record of success in every government position he has held. We expect that record to remain intact during his tenure as governor.
He’s the real deal.
Mmmmmmmmm......... we need a whole lot more like HER!
Eight years from now, he’ll be 44 years old, and one of the most experienced governors in the nation.
This implies Louisiana had a nonwhite governor prior to Reconstruction; I'm unable to find any evidence of Louisiana ever having a nonwhite governor.
Why don't they just say "He’ll be Louisiana’s first nonwhite governor."?
I have been a big Bobby booster here on FR and elsewhere but I suggest we remain cautious and vigilant. Bobby may have statist tendencies when it comes to health care and other social welfare issues. It is not clear that he believes that inefficiency and corruption are significant and inevitable in all government programs and that government must therefore be minimized. Like Romney and to an even greater degree Huckabee, he seems to think that so long as honest, well-intended people are in charge and programs are well and closely managed, then the nanny state is acceptable and effective. Let’s keep an eye on him.
Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback, black, served as Governor of Louisiana for 35 days, Dec. 1872- Jan. 1873. He was the first black Governor of a U.S. state. (Impressive considering the reputation of racism we get in Louisiana. Thanks David Duke!!! SOB!!)
This is a good day for our state. However, Bobby also has enormous expectations to live up to. There’s been alot of hype and support for him since the ‘03 Governors Race, especially after Blanco’s blunders in ‘05 and ‘06 (not all having to do with the hurricanes).
Geaux Bobby Jindal!!
P.B.S. Pinchback was acting governor in 1871: http://www.brainyhistory.com/events/1872/december_11_1872_58130.html
Pat Buchanan aced it on “McLaughlin” a few weeks ago when he named Jindal and Sarah Palin (Governor of Alaska) as the future of the Republican party...
Probably a wise decision on her part. How much you want to bet she's in the cabinet if either Clinton or Obama win in November?
While I share your concerns of being cautious about Jindal, please, let’s not start comparing him to Flip Romney just yet. From what I can tell, Bobby Jindal has been pretty solid with his stances.
Let's see if he succeeds as governor before annointing him the GOP nominee for president in 2016.
“Probably a wise decision on her part. How much you want to bet she’s in the cabinet if either Clinton or Obama win in November?”
Actually, some have rumored her as a possible challenger in the 7th Congressional District Race, which is currently held by Charles Boustany (R-Lafayette).
P. B. S. Pinchback
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
25th Governor of Louisiana
In office
December 9, 1872 – January 13, 1873
Born May 10, 1837(1837-05-10)
Macon, Georgia
Died December 21, 1921 (aged 84)
Washington, DC
Political party Republican
Spouse Nina Emily
Religion African Methodist Episcopal
Pinckney Benton Stewart Pinchback (May 10, 1837 – December 21, 1921) was the first African American to become governor of a U.S. state. He was also the first non-white (biracial) governor of Louisiana. Pinchback, a Republican, served as the governor of Louisiana for thirty-five days, from December 9, 1872, to January 13, 1873.
Pinchback was born in Macon, Georgia (Bibb County), to a white planter (William Pinchback) and his former slave, Eliza Stewart. Known as “Pinckney Benton Stewart,” he was educated at the Gilmore High School in Cincinnati. After his father died in 1848, he left Cincinnati because he feared that his paternal relatives would force him back into slavery. He worked as a hotel porter and barber in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Do you really think she has a future in elective office in Louisiana? Even at the congressional level?
I don’t expect any MSM reaction to a minority governorship.
Bobby bump!!!
Well I’ll be darned...
“Do you really think she has a future in elective office in Louisiana? Even at the congressional level?”
I don’t think even our voters are that dumb. Besides, her original hometown is New Iberia, which is not in the 7th District. Our current congressman is from Lafayette, which is the largest population in the 7th District, and there’s no way she wins those same rural areas in the region that she won in the ‘03 Governor’s race.
But, with the help of her husband, “Coach” Blanco, she would be able to generate a good bit of money, especially since UL-Lafayette seems to want to retain the Blanco influence at the university.
A black Republican governor? Imagine that...
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