White House Uses Jindal As An Ally On Health Care

The White House is getting a boost in its efforts to pass health care reform from a potential 2012 opponent.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs urged Republicans on Wednesday to follow the advice of Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, who urged party members to start working more constructively with the president in passing health care legislation.

"I think I saw one of the more popular governors, Republican Governor Bobby Jindal, say today that it was time for Republicans to offer what they are for and not just talk about what they are against," said Gibbs. "So the president is happy to and will meet with Republicans. We talk to Republicans every day about health care. And we hope that members of the House Republican leadership will listen to the person that they put forward... to represent their agenda just a few months ago in taking up the mantle of actually being for something."

Jindal, who gave the rebuttal speech to Barack Obama's first State of the Union address roughly eight months ago, told Politico on Wednesday that the time had come for members of his party "to pivot and to say, not only here's what we're against, and not only here's how we're going to contrast ourselves, but here's what we're for."

Such talk would seem banal under normal political climates. But Jindal's up-and-coming status within the Republican Party, and his inherent admission that Republicans have not put forward a comprehensive alternative health care proposal, provided ample ammunition for the White House to frame the GOP as obstructionist.

This is not the first time the president and his team have used a potential future rival to help pass legislation. Florida Gov. Charlie Crist's support for the stimulus was a huge boost for the White House in its efforts to claim bipartisan support.

But that move cost Crist dearly among his conservative base, which believed the governor abandoned their limited government principles. Whether Jindal suffers a similar fate for his remarks on health care remains to be seen.

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Comments

[maxfax]

I find this very interesting, Dems go after Pawlenty, while they, particularly the White House bestow kudos for the likes of Jindal as an alleged smarter Republican for pushing bipartisanship on health care reform. This is Emanuel, he still doesn't get it, he was wrong during the election, Dean was right, and he's doing it again with health care reform. Dean's right, he's wrong, and we Americans burdened with unscrupulous acts of insurance companies and inability to afford adequate health care coverage, are the victims of this personal vendetta Emanuel has with Dean. Emanuel is victimizing us, wake up people.

[maxfax]

White House using Jindal as the right type of Republican? Are they crazy?

They apparently missed Jindal's pro-insurance company and anti-consumer stand.

http://www.beloblog.com/WWLTV_Blogs/neworleansinthenews/2009/09/jindal-makes-fox-news.html

[Actongue]

@ Fastnfaster You really need to crawl out of the republican sewer of narron-minded rat droppings of a hole.

Imagine if there was no Volcano funding then what would happen say when a volcano blew its top and due to this Acciddents that could have easily been avoided by the watching and research would have occursed in oh Say Mt Redoubt in Alaska in terms of lives lost.

This same funding also would enable farmers to gather crops a little earlier if need be in areas of Volcanoes. If they did not all the crops would be gone waste. Sounds like the Economy eh!?

(Let me guess you think Sarah is smart the one that said we would halt pork barrel spending on oh say Fruit Flies.....­........It­s these same fruit flies that devastate olive orchards in California.
( Oh well its just another economy thing but who cares.....­..Republic­ans don;t)

The biggest problem with Republicans they either do not think or they do not think long term they just want the instant Gratification of now now now or ME ME ME which Got us into this mess.

[Actongue]

Edit for typo

narrow-minded

I have a bad habit not profreading first before I post that along with horrendous typing

[fastnfaster]

you are really missing the mark with your post. and, your assumptions about me could not be further from the truth. read some of past posts if you are really interested in just how wrong you are.

as for your republican philosophy of instant gratification - way off the mark. quit drinking the kool aid and become an independent thinker.

[Actongue]

That is one of the things that happens when coming into a converstaion on a site like this and things can be easily miscontrued since I am sure there are many that have done the same.

As for your statement about the Volcano funding you are sorely Mistaken. When crying about such funding in a stimulus bill not being valid only makes Jindal look like an idiot when he is a Governor of a state that can and has been seriously affected by Hurricanes.

If instead money would have been pulled from funding for Hurricane watch and research he would have been up in arms about how Washington DC does not take care of its citizens.

As for Koolaid which is thrown around away way to loosely by people on both sides.


I happen to live in an area that has Volcanoes within a hundred miles or so from where and saw Jindal not as an intelligent insightful Governor, but instead a narrow minded closed vision person which is becoming more and more common with the new style republicans.

Additionally I would feel the same way if someone on either party would have said something about getting rid of Hurricane funding even though it is not where I reside

[maxfax]

Actongue is right on.

[Nicon]

Who let Kennith out of the copy room?

[maxfax]

You're insulting "Kenneth" he's an actor, Jindal isn't.

[Purcy]

Like the President hasn't been willing to sit with Republicans in the past. It seems the message from the Republicans is clear. They will not sign on to any reform of Health Care. They will continue to stall and my fear is that the Dems have this strange need to not go into the land of reform without the consent and blessing of Republicans.

If Civil Rights Reform had waited for everyone to get on board, we'd still not have the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Health Care Reform is the civil rights issue of our time. Just do it Mr. President. The Republicans tears will be left in the dust once the American people have real, honest to God, health care reform that provides Health Care for everyone. Yes, I am willing to pay more to see that everyone is covered. My annual salary is $49,000. I'm old enough to retire but won't until all of my adult children have access to affordable health care. Could we just get it done? I'm tired of the games that Washington plays when my taxes are also paying their salaries.

Maybe Montana could give up one Senator ( Max), reduce the taxes and toss that money in to help pay for Health Care Reform. I'm guessin' there are a number of states who would be willing to do the same...aft­er all, if the Senators & Representatives do not carry out the will of the people, why are they there?

[fastnfaster]

you are willing to pay more, but will be retiring when it's done? doesn't sound like you will be paying more to me. sounds more like you will be getting out just in time.

[Purcy]

I have been saying for years that I would be willing to pay more. I'm not sure when I'll retire but I am not one who has the attitude..­.I've got what I need and to hell with everyone else. We have way more people like that in this country than we need. If I were asked to work a year longer and give my entire salary so that affordable health care would be available to everyone in this country from here on out, I would do it. Maybe something like that would work to get this country out of debt so that my grand children and great grandchildren are not left to pay for the selfishness and greed that has gone before us...

Shall we do it? Would you do it?

[Scentedflower]

Jindal will have a future only if he gets out of the Repub party

[Rastaman1967]

is it me or does anyone else are simply tired of hearing this administration talks about their willingness to sit and tlk with republican­s...guys its been 9 months...g­et over this idea that they honestly wants to talk...wha­t do you talk about when you have no ideas.

[lvdragonlady]

Would not trust this little weasel as far as I could throw him.

[Wendy Johnson]

The White House did not use Jindal as an ally, they used him as a rhetorical device in a press conference. And if giving such paltry, equivocal help to the President hurts Republicans with their base, I hope it does hurt him. I hope it hurts him just like it hurt Crist. It will be no great loss to get this faux-cute religious extremist off the political scene.

[maxfax]

You give the White House too much credit. They're still playing the "bi-partisan" card, which there is no such thing, the White House needs to shut up with this stupid talk. Independents don't believe there is a bipartisan bone in the body of any Republican. Let's move on, Obama, we voted for change, now act like it and get the right bill out there with a real public option like 74% of the public wants. STOP the pandering to the right, it's not working, it will NEVER work. How foolish can they be?!

[ladydragon]

I want to see Bobby Jundal's birth certificate. I believe he's a "Naturalized" citizen NOT born on American soil, he has no right to be president. Either that or he's Alfalfa all growed up

[Actongue]

Bobby Jindal appears to be related to a well known terrorist in Chandigarh "VHP Ishwar Jinda" is in the same town where Boby Jindal has relatives

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070913/cth1.htm it is the top story.

The protest began around 8 am when 100-odd activists led by Haryana BJP vice-president Gian Chand Gupta, BJP's Rashtriya Kisan Morcha treasurer V.K. Sood and VHP leader Ishwar Jindal marched from sector 19 to the level crossing and blocked the road.

He is also well versed in the Quran

On those boyhood visits to India, Jindal would spend much of his time in the Gupta home in the Punjab capital of Chandigarh talking to his grandfather, who died 21 years ago. Krishan Gupta had a house full of books and often kept handy the popular Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita. He could read Urdu and was familiar with the Quran

It should be noted that his Grandfathers last name is Gupta which is the last name of Gian Chand Gupta also noted in the Story above

[dillydawg]

The WH and the Dems should know by now, that they have no friends or allies in the Republican Party.

[maxfax]

You would think they would wise up, instead of acting so dumb. This is Emanuel, he was wrong during the election, and he's wrong now, Obama needs to wise up. Dean knows, just as he did during the election, that must really frost Emanuel.

[Biolante]

Who cares what they are for or against?? Write, intro and Pass the GD bill, MAJORITY.

[dillydawg]

In total agreement. Enough is enough, pass the bill.

[justobserve]

What about his people, a Dem and a Rep, in an article a few days ago?

Senator Wyden: Take Bob Bennett of Utah, a lead Republican sponsor, a conservative Republican in the reddest state in the United States who has a primary [opponent] from the right, running primarily on his involvement with me in a piece of legislation with provisions that Democrats have dreamed about for 70 years, he said he is not backing off from his support.

Quite the contrary, he is basically telling the President that he is going to put his career on the line, fighting for something we believe brings people together. It melds together Democratic principles that we fought 70 years for - covering everybody [with] universal coverage, generous subsidies. Principles Democrats have fought [to get] for years. Senator Bennett says what he has to have are the choices and competition in the real world for the private sector.

Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kathleen-wells/senator-ron-wyden-the-pub_b_293189.html

[Ozarks]

After Bobby's run down the hail with his striped tie , looking like Alfalfa from the ole TV series "Our Gang", Bobby went into the tank. Maybe Bobby will become a democrat and his comedy routine will be more palatable.