The Bobby Jindal Fiasco

Last night's Republican rebuttal by Governor Bobby Jindal was if anything, comical, laughable and a downright disaster. Despite having access to the President's speech before it was presented before the Joint Session of Congress, Jindal's rebuttal was a missed opportunity for his personal ascent within his party as well as a blow to the Republican party as a whole. I am not sure what happened last night, but when Jindal came on screen, the first words that came out of my mouth where "He does not look Presidential at all." The purpose of using Jindal was an attempt by the Republican Party to offer a fresh face and someone who could possibly be a candidate for the Presidency in 2012. In his first speech on a national scale, Jindal received a failing grade. His speech was stale and he did not look the part at all. For someone as smart as Jindal, something went terribly wrong last night. His response was completely off topic and did not match the oratorical display or content of President Barack Obama's speech at all.

His remarks focused on the concerns of his party and did not address the larger problems of the American people. He did not attack the stimulus bill or the tax cuts that many in his party are vehemently opposed to. He spoke about everything from Disney land to volcanic eruptions and everything in between. He failed to show that the Republican Party was aware and would be ready to hold the President accountable if the stimulus plans fail to deliver. The Republican Party has to look elsewhere because thus far they have performed dismally at all attempts to present what might be a suitable candidate for 2012. Sarah Palin was an embarrassment and judging by Jindal's performance last night, the Republican Party has a full plate. I remember back in the Bush years, when I looked forward to the Democratic response after State of the Union addresses. I feel so bad for Jindal. Hopefully he'll be able to repair his image when he comes to the understanding that the country needs to be united now and not resort to divisive comments like his famous line from last night, "we can't trust the Federal Government."