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Bobby Jindal faces an uphill fight in the crowded 2016 field

Updated 6:40 PM ET, Wed June 24, 2015, | Video Source: CNN, Source

 

Washington (CNN) Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, once a Republican rising star who passed on an opportunity to seek the White House in 2012, announced his candidacy on Wednesday under much more trying circumstances.

 

Jindal announced his bid over social media, just hours before hosting a kickoff rally.

 

"I'm running for President of the United States of America. Join me," Jindal tweeted, with a link to his website's announcement page.

 

At his rally in Kenner, Louisiana, Jindal sought to promote himself as a bold leader who not only talked the talk but walked the walk as governor of Louisiana.

 

"The big government crowd -- they hate what I have done," Jindal said to the crowd of about 500. "I am guilty as charged, and our state is better off for it today. We have had enough of talkers, it's time for doers. I'm not running for president to be somebody, I'm running for president to do something."

 

But if he wants to compete in the expansive Republican field, he'll have to resurrect a reputation that has fallen significantly in recent years. Jindal is now polling toward the bottom of the field, registering at just 1% in the latest CNN/ORC poll.

 

Jindal's popularity in his own state has suffered -- a recent poll has his approval at 32% -- thanks to budget troubles and perhaps a preoccupation with playing to a national audience. His refusal to raise taxes to help balance the state's books has resulted in deep cuts to popular programs and areas of government spending such as health care and education.

 

His wife introduced him on stage, the only speaker before he took to the podium. The roll out also featured a couple of biographical videos.

 

Jindal: 'I don't think' Rand Paul will be the nominee
Jindal: 'I don't think' Rand Paul will be the nominee

 

Jindal, the country's first Indian-American governor, is likely best-known nationally for his flip-flop on Common Core educational standards -- from support to opposition, a move many saw as opportunistic as he marches toward a presidential bid.

 

In 2010, his state implemented the standards. By 2014, he was blasting them. In the interim, many conservatives fearful of government takeover of schools had begun to protest the standards across the country, pushing Republican politicians to rethink their support.

 

Jindal's reversal marked a watershed moment for the politician, who following Romney's 2012 loss, pushed for the GOP to represent something other than being the "party of no."

 

The Brown University graduate and Rhodes scholar went even further, chastising his peers for verbal gaffes and unforced errors when politicking leading up to the presidential election.

 

"It's not going to be the last time anyone says something stupid within our party, but it can't be tolerated within our party," he said. "We've also had enough of this dumbed-down conservatism. We need to stop being simplistic, we need to trust the intelligence of the American people and we need to stop insulting the intelligence of the voters."

 

But his flip on Common Core marked Jindal as a man willing to play to his base -- similar to those pols he had condemned in 2012.

 

America may also recall the 44-year-old for his Republican response to Obama's first joint address to Congress in 2009 -- a performance most remembered for Jindal's awkward delivery than anything else.

 

Though initial polling shows Jindal is a longshot, he has carved out a niche of vibrant support among evangelical Christians and the anti-Common Core activists.

 

He's also positioned himself as a top opponent of "political correctness" and has at times led his party's charge in railing against radical Islam, while also straying into the controversial territory.

 

In an hour-long briefing with reporters Wednesday in New Orleans, Jindal's soon-to-be presidential campaign advisers stressed that the Louisiana governor will highlight his record as an executive as he focuses on an early state strategy.

 

"We're going to hunt where the ducks are," said chief strategist Curt Anderson, a Jindal adviser since 2003 and former Republican National Committee political director.

 

Jindal's four main objectives as president would be securing the border, replacing Obamacare, growing the private sector and increasing defense, his aides said. He will also be "aggressive" on calling for the destruction of radical Islam and that containment is a strategy for losers.

 

The Louisiana governor will likely fight for space on the right of the so-far 13 person GOP field, alongside Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, neurosurgeon Ben Carson and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

 

Aides argue that Jindal hasn't been on the trail like other candidates, so naturally his name recognition will be low.

 

"Half these people don't know who their own damn governor is, let alone the governor of Louisiana," Anderson said, referring to voters nationwide who aren't plugged into presidential politics as much as reporters and operatives.

 

Jindal was a political wunderkind when he first burst onto the scene helping shape health care policy. In 1996, at the age of just 24, Jindal was appointed as head of Louisiana's department of health policies.

 

Later, he served under President George W. Bush in the Department of Health and Human Services as a top adviser to then-HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson.

 

Raised in a Hindu household, Jindal converted to Catholicism in high school.

 

He first cut his own political teeth in 2003, surprising many to force a run-off election in the Louisiana gubernatorial race. Though he lost, he set himself up for a successful congressional run in 2004, serving until finally winning the governor's mansion in 2008.

 

Jindal's first stop after his speech Wednesday night will be New Hampshire on Thursday, followed by Iowa on Friday. He holds a fundraising event in Baton Rouge on Saturday — the only fundraising event that will appear on their financial reports for the period that ends on June 30, they say.

 

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:
America may also recall the 44-year-old for his Republican response to Obama's first joint address to Congress in 2009 -- a performance most remembered for Jindal's awkward delivery than anything else

 

But if he wants to compete in the expansive Republican field, he'll have to resurrect a reputation that has fallen significantly in recent years. Jindal is now polling toward the bottom of the field, registering at just 1% in the latest CNN/ORC poll.

 

Bobby Jindal faces an uphill fight in the crowded 2016 field, By Rebekah Metzler and Ashley Killough, CNN, Updated 6:40 PM ET, Wed June 24, 2015, | Video Source: CNN, Source

Piyush Jindal has no possibility in the Republican race.

 

He should return to watching the Brady Bunch from which he was fascinated and adopted the name "Bobby", one of the characters in the programme.

FM
Originally Posted by Cobra:
Originally Posted by Nehru:

I dont think he can be Elected even in Bihar.

 

 

The man has every right to run just as grandma Clinton is running mad. 

Now, now Cobra. Contrary to expectations, the person with the best potential to be elected President of the US_of_A is ....

 

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton

FM
Originally Posted by yuji22:
Originally Posted by cain:

I wonder if Hilary likes the smell of cigars?

Well, Monica does.

HE HE

My problem with Jindal is he said he is not Indian, and not even "Indian American". He wants to deny who he is. He has gotten a lot of flak from the Desi community on this. I dont see others denying who they are. 

V
Originally Posted by VishMahabir:
Originally Posted by yuji22:
Originally Posted by cain:

I wonder if Hilary likes the smell of cigars?

Well, Monica does.

HE HE

My problem with Jindal is he said he is not Indian, and not even "Indian American". He wants to deny who he is. He has gotten a lot of flak from the Desi community on this. I dont see others denying who they are. 

Are you saying he is a man without an identity? 

 

Someone had said that about a Guyanese politician but I cannot remember who.

FM
Originally Posted by Demerara_Guy:

PPP heavyweights go into hiding

June 26, 2015, Source

 

Once omnipresent and always eager to appear before the media, a number of PPP co-chairman’s close aides who were also part of the federal cabinet have simply gone missing from the scene in the wake of Asif Ali Zardari’s outburst against military establishment.

Well placed sources in the PPP told The Nation on Thursday that a few leaders were even asked to appear in the media and defend the party but they opted to stay away.

Qamar Zaman Kaira and Sherry Rehman have been clarifying Zardari’s speech while his two advisors, Nadeem Afzal Chan and Noor Alam Khan, have been seen on television shows defending their party.

It is believed that the major beneficiaries of the PPP government from 2008-2013 have now gone into hibernation when the party needs them the most. A few of them attend party functions occasionally just to make their presence felt in a selected circle and others have almost dissociated themselves from the party.

The sources said that former Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme Farzana Raja was no more attending PPP’s functions after the 2013 elections while Asif Ali Zardari was still in the presidency.

“Farzana Raja was hopeful that PM Sharif will continue with her as Chairperson BISP but when it did not happen she left for America never to return”, the sources in PPP maintained.

Former defense minister Chaudhary Ahmad Mukhtar also did not attend any party meeting after losing election. Political secretary to party Co-chairman Rukhsana Bangash and in-charge of PPP central secretariat had also left for USA, very next day of Zardari’s speech last week, the sources added.

Former information minister Firdous Ashiq Awan was ready to jump off the ship of PPP even before the election but the other parties were reluctant to take her. She makes occasional appearances in the party functions and is missing after Zardari’s speech to defend the party, which she has been defending as information minister

Former foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar is also missing since 2013 election and she has hardly made any appearance anywhere on behalf of the party.

Former minister and PPP’s Punjab President Mian Manzoor Wattoo hesitates to make media appearances. “Manzoor Wattoo was even asked by Asif Zardari as to why he does not appear on television?” the sources in PPP added.

The sources said that Makhdoom Amin Fahim is abroad for treatment.

 

Naveed Qamar hardly makes any appearance on TV. The Arbab couple from Peshawar remained upset with the party since election 2013, the sources revealed.

They added that the Arbab couple has now launched their son in politics. Hamid Saeed Kazmi made an appearance in a function but he was mistreated during PPP tenure what to expect from him to defend the party in these times, the sources said.

The sources said that Zardari has re-established his contact with Babar Awan after a lapse for three years which has been taken in bad taste by the party leadership and workers.

Dr Asim Hussain doesn’t appear on media. Farooq Naek and Rehman Malik are with the party but now they do not appear regularly on media. The sources added that during the Central Executive Party meeting ex-PM Raja Pervaiz Ashraf only spoke about Asif Ali Zardari’s remarks saying that these were uncalled for. “During the entire episode Chairman Bilawal only spoke for a few minutes that too in the CEC meeting.

Even Bilawal was offered to choose his own team but Bilawal opted to keep mum. The sources said that the allegations on PPP are of corruption while the military has established its repute as the one who is hunting the corrupt and trouble makers and in this scenario where the public perception is against the PPP, defending corruption allegations is the most difficult job.

Talking to The Nation, media advisor to PPP Punjab President said that Manzoor Wattoo had issued a statement few days ago and appreciated the efforts of Pakistan army against terrorism and role of Army Chief General Raheel Sharif. He said, Wattoo had attended the meeting of CEC but could not participate in Zardari’s Iftar dinner because he had to go to Sialkot for offering Fataha over death of Fardous Aashaq Awan’s close relative.

He was not sure whether Wattoo had appeared before media after Zardari’s speech. Wattoo is following the lines of party Chairman and Co-chairman and he stands the party policy, he added.

Mitwah

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