McCain/Jindal In 2008?
There’s a lot of buzz about this Bill Kristol column which indicates that McCain staffers are throwing around newly-elected Louisiana Governor/political phenom Bobby Jindal’s name for VP.
Personally? I think McCain needs Bobby more than Bobby needs McCain.
I like Bobby Jindal a great deal. I think his mix of reform-minded conservatism and youth/vitality would be the perfect antidote to McCain’s weak-kneed conservative principles and rather *ahem* wintered visage. But even so, I think it’d be better to wait on Bobby. Just as its a bad idea to rush a young star pitcher to the majors too quickly, it’s a bad idea to put Bobby on the national stage before he’s ready.
I mean, look at what it’s done for Obama. He rises up the ranks of the Democrat party quickly and thrusts himself onto the national stage only to burned in a number of different ways that experienced campaigners would have avoided. Which isn’t to say that Bobby is Barack (I can’t imagine that Jindal has a close relationship with a spiritual adviser and mentor who enjoys damning America on weekends), but I think the wisdom holds firm.
Let Bobby get some executive experience under his belt. Let him fix all of Louisiana’s goals. Then let’s look at putting him in the White House, except perhaps at the top of a strong reform ticket instead of at the bottom of a ticket nobody in the Republican party is really all that excited about.
