Louisiana Gov. Jindal: The McCain VP Questions

“It would be like saying I’m going to the prom with that pretty girl before she asks you, but I’ve got the job I want,” Jindal said on Jay Leno Monday night.

My comments yesterday about his opening the door on the vice presidency instead of shutting that portal made substantial Internet numbers including mention in the New York Times.

More importantly, the Governor’s response raises two questions as he prepares for his date in front of the National Press Club: Does Bobby Jindal really have a chance to be picked by McCain? Does Louisiana really want him to leave the Governor’s position to take over a job over which Jindal joked-- attends foreign funerals?

Without doubt, ever since Rush Limbaugh mouthed in that Golden Mike that Jindal would be a good running mate, the rumor mill has been in full blast. Jay Leno claiming that Jindal was on the “short list” certainly helped feed the political speculations.

All this talk is for naught, however, should McCain go another way.

In reality, McCain does not need to name his running mate until the Republican convention which will be held September 1-4 in Minneapolis Minnesota. The Democratic convention is scheduled for August 25-28 in Denver. So, by the first week of September we will know who will be on the Democrat ticket, if not before.

The Democrats have the traditional minority advantage in national elections. This year, the edge should be greater since the choices are either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.

Thus, McCain would want to close the minority gap and having a young first-generation American whose parents were immigrants from India would not hurt at all.

Then there is that age gap issue. No, the average age of a McCain-Jindal ticket would not be 81 as Leno quipped, but 54. One could argue that a very young VP would make McCain who would be 72 on Election Day appear that much older, but McCain is a very young 71.

The real national question is--can Jindal deliver better than any other candidate?

Certainly, there are other Republican possibilities such as Florida’s Governor Charles Crist who hail from a bigger state with more clout.

Although Jindal has not been the perfect Governor since taking office only one hundred days plus, he has caught the eye of the nation, has a very enthusiastic following in Louisiana and would be an attractive Vice President candidate. Normally, the vice-president nominee does not make that much of a difference in elections anyway, but, this time it could matter some given perceptions about McCain’s age and possible health risks.

So, Bobby Jindal deserves to be on the short list of candidates because he could help the McCain ticket much more than hurt it. The liabilities are that he is from a small state and is now not well known. Ironically, he has the tragedies of Katrina working in his favor as the Leno and the National Press Club appearances demonstrate.

For many in Louisiana, perhaps the more important question is whether they want Bobby Jindal to leave the Governorship, if called to national duty? I have read blogs on Bayoubuzz who have said they want Louisiana to have greater clout which a Louisiana citizen would give to the national office. Others are concerned that Jindal’s departure would turn the state over to the Democrats.

I, for one, have long suggested that Jindal say he would not serve, even if asked. Yes, just being mentioned by national figures elevates him and the state. And, while I have been critical of Jindal on various issues since his election, I have also been very glowing of his performances. On balance, I think he brings excitement and enthusiasm to the state and can actually do much more for the average individual in Louisiana should he remain Governor than if he were attending foreign funerals.

Bobby Jindal is a real asset to Louisiana as would be his successor, Mitch Landrieu, should Jindal be picked by McCain and should Jindal strive for that golden ring. Both men are very intelligent, politically savvy and very presentable. Jindal won an election in a state that rejected him more than four years ago. We can quibble over some nuances concerning the direction of his administration, but, on balance, he absolutely has the confidence of the Louisiana people and would be more of a loss to Louisiana than a gain to this state if he were the Veep pick.

Doing Leno and the National Press Club will only increase his own personal recognition and in turn, hopefully, will give investors more confidence in this state. Louisiana does have a chance to make a difference and go forward faster thanks to Jindal, but also courtesy of the stewardship of his immediate predecessors. They were not perfect, and Blanco and Foster were not Vice President material, but they built much of the infrastructure which our current Governor is sitting on and hopefully will manage--for at least the next four years.

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