Bobby Jindal: Presidential Bid Unlikely In 2012

RICHMOND, Va. — Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said Wednesday he's not interested in a 2012 Republican presidential bid and will seek a second term as governor in 2011.

Jindal, who appeared at a news conference to back Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, was asked if he was interested in being president.

"No," he replied.

Jindal's trip to Iowa last month fueled speculation that he was laying the groundwork for a presidential campaign, and he did not rule out changing his mind over the next few years.

Instead, he said Americans are weary after the longest, most expensive election cycle in U.S. history.

"I think anybody who is even thinking of running would be well served to roll up their sleeves and support our new president," Jindal said. "I told our people, 'It doesn't matter whether you're Republican, Democrat or independent, it doesn't matter whether you voted for him or not, President-elect Barack Obama is our president.'"

In the wake of Republican losses in Congress and a blowout defeat in the presidential race, Jindal is an early favorite among many Republicans for 2012.

He's young, 37, and has strong support from conservatives for his income tax-cutting initiatives. Many of them advocated for John McCain to pick Jindal as his vice presidential running mate.

Jindal also enjoyed broad-based approval for his handling of back-to-back hurricanes, Gustav and Ike, that menaced his state and New Orleans in particular in August and September, just three years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the area.

Comments

[vjoseph]

You are smarter than I thought Jindal. You obviously know that you cannot win in 2012, just wait patiently for 2016. You are young, you got time

[TrueIndy08]

hahaha...oofcourse he will say NO!! But its only bc he knows he will lose to O if he should try and run in 2012....

CRAZY CRAZY REPUBLICANS... they're best bet is to let Sarah the trainwreck Palin run so she can tank herself and in 2016 they actually have a chance at winning

[CabaretArtist]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's what they all say. Jindal said he "was not running for Govenor" when he was a respresentative. Then he began preparing for that office (just like now for Presidency) as soon as he was elected a representative. Just like Hillary said "she has a job with NYC". Next thing you know...she's running for President. Same thing for Obama...not running...then low and behold...running. They'll all politicians. Like any field, you want to achieve your highest ranking. It's only natural.

I hope he waits though. He'll be wasting his time in 2012 because Obama is going to have a stellar presidency for 8 years. Let the losers like Palin and Romney run...this way it will put their lights out permanently. ...

[Natec2]

AAAHHHHHH... JIndal is now seeing the proverbial "white" light at the end of the GOP tunnel, and it's not a minority. I question those that claim his intelligence trumps his religious fanaticism. Many of you do not know people from Louisiana...
Peace

[Princeton]

Wouldn't repubs start saying that bobby is a secret Hindo because his parents came from India?

[fem56]

II appreciate his comments and he is right. Anyone doing the opposite will be dead meat. In these tough times to be anything but wishing the President the best and supporting him the best way we all can is not only politically smart it is wise.

[BuzzingAlong]

"I think anybody who is even thinking of running would be well served to roll up their sleeves and support our new president," Jindal said. "I told our people, 'It doesn't matter whether you're Republican, Democrat or independent, it doesn't matter whether you voted for him or not, President-elect Barack Obama is our president.'"

Oh no he didn't say this. Is this man really a republican? How soon before the REAL REICH-wing republicans throw him out of the party.

[MDHutchinson]

"REICH-wing republicans"

Normally, I hate these types of jabs. Not because I find them childish and counter-productive, or because I firmly believe that name calling serves only to lower the level of what passes for political discourse (though this is all true).
Actually, the real reason I can't stand this particular brand of party trashing is because the endless repetition of epithets like "rethuglicans" indicates a lack of original and creative thought. Lemmings repeat the same tired insults ad-nauseum, and if it weren't for the fact that Republicans are even more prolific parroters of these uninspired aspersions, I might not be a Democrat today.

BUT, "Reich-wing Republicans," is new to my eyes and it's clever and funny. So, bravo for introducing me to the first of these word-play jibes that's actually made me laugh out loud.

[GuyFawkes]

Translation: I'm running in 2012.

[mk20051]

There is no way he would run for president in that party. The reason some of the dems voted for McCain is because Obama is not white. I would like to see what all of the "honest" church going Republicans with "values" would do. They would make up some excuse for not voting for him. I go to church and I am an african american..but I also think that all people are created equal.

[genia]

Oh yes they would...and will......I have seen the forums/message boards of southern Nascar fans...who are all bigots and racists...it seems. They have found a way to make Jindal the exception...special....another Regan.
They.....do as they are told, they never disagree. The handlers feed the the flock...you hear that all the time...but...It's true.....they really do eat it up and repeat it ...over and over..

[vjoseph]

He's a model minorty, they don't count

[113]

At least the rising stars of the republican party are not extremists, the moderates like jindal and charlie christ will move center-left

[barackobama4prez]

he will be in for trouble either way. run or don't run....if he runs and wins the primary...he will lose to obama. if he runs and loses the primary, he will be dubbed a loser in the party and his stock will plummet within the GOP. Also, i think the GOP wants to use him, not elect him. if he doesn't play ball, he will be met with drama from his party.

[PepeLepew]

Oh, please, reconsider Bobby. Please, please, please.
I want to hear more about the exorcism you performed.

[MissElaineous]

Jindal's young and has a lot of time yet. If he was as smart a cookie as they say he is, he should be eyeballing the Senate seat.

[MDHutchinson]

Only way Bobby J will run in 2012 is if Obama's first term is a huge disappointment. Otherwise, the GOP will save him for 2016.
If Obama does even a somewhat decent job (and there's no reason to believe he won't), the GOP won't risk their "star" getting trounced in the general election.
Instead, my money is on Huckabee as the 2012 Republican nominee. He's likable enough to appeal to moderates, and his social conservatism will rally the base. Plus, you can bet there will be gay marriage initiatives on the ballots in just about every swing state (a guaranteed way to bring conservative Christians to the polls).
Still, if Obama is able to make some strides on health care, get us out of Iraq, and help get the market moving in the right direction, even an endorsement from Jesus Christ himself won't be able to save Huckabee from a thorough trouncing.

[Hawka]

If a moderate actually had one ounce of sense they'll actually listen to Huck's content and find it as offending as if Sarah Palin was back again.

[MDHutchinson]

Agreed. Unfortunately, as scientific research shows, content often plays a subservient role to aesthetics--charisma, charm, the appearance of confidence and authenticity.

But if this is true, why did Sarah Palin turn out to be such a disaster? After all, she is attractive by conventional standards, knows how to read a speech, and when it comes to lonely right-wing males, well...Mr. Lowry: "Her smile...was so sparkling it... sent little starbursts through the screen and ricocheting around the living rooms of America."

But after that initial burst on the screen began to trickle (no, that's not a euphemistic allusion to Lowry's quote), her clear lack of knowledge ended up reinforcing the stereotype that attractive women lack substance. This is not a fair stereotype, but in Palin's case, it happens to be true.

Huckabee certainly isn't a looker, but he comes off as likable and good-natured, allowing him to get away with some of his most frightening positions. When he talks about wanting to make the Constitution more closely resemble the Bible, people are inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Huckabee's main weakness from this aesthetic aspect is that he doesn't resonate strength and assertiveness. He's a bit like Ned Flanders in this respect, and if people feel like you could slap him across the face and he'd just turn the other cheek, they're not likely to view him as being capable of safeguarding our national security.

[nrheald]

Ha! well put MDHutchinson. Mr. Jindal appears to be a republican worth listening to and worth following in the coming years. Intelligent, well-spoken, and young? We will wait and see I suppose.

[GuyFawkes]

They'll wait for 2016 so Brian Schweitzer can trounce him.

[MDHutchinson]

Schweitzer!?!? Really?

Look, I realize we've come a long way in this country as far as tolerance, but I just don't think this nation is ready for a president who wears a bolo tie.

Maybe by 2016 we'll get to a point where a man can walk out in public and people will judge him by the content of his character, and not his preposterous choice in neckwear.

But until that day, bolo wearers will continue to suffer cruel discrimination at the hands of a merciless public, and will remain second-class citizens along with their fellow brothers in arms; the fannie pack guy, the speedo wearer, and of course, the guy who covers his nose in plaster-thick layers of white sunblock before going out to the beach.

[dwilkerson]

Jindal, obviously, wants to wait and see how Obama's first term turns out. If we're on an economic upswing in 2011, you can bet he's not going to volunteer to be the GOP's sacrificial lamb. He has the time to let a more desperate candidate (i.e., Palin or Romney) take that honor.

[Princeton]

Huckabie makes a good Bob Dole too.

[MDHutchinson]

As I posted above, Huckabee is where my money is at. Plus, guys like Huckabee don't have a problem with being sacrificed...wonder why that is...