Bobby Jindal's Tim Calhoun Moment

The Republican rebuttal to President Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress tonight was delivered by Governor Jindal who, as the purported rising star of the Republican Party, will eventually be coached out of some distracting mannerisms. Until then, compare Saturday Night Live candidate Tim Calhoun's style to what we witnessed tonight. Between the karate chop gestures to accent his words and laughter at strange moments, there's a resemblance.

JIndal started his speech with "Happy Mardi Gras," showing a deeply tone deaf approach. New Orleans' crime problem should have been addressed today of all days, even if mentioning the crisis required a second taping. He attempted to frame New Orleans as a city that is recovering with minimal federal help, but the truth is we need more assistance than ever. There were seven shootings along the parade route today, and it's making national news rather than the fact that New Orleans has once again rallied to host the greatest free party in the nation. Tourism is not back to 100% and it won't be until the situation is addressed, but that will take a joint effort at the city, state and federal level. The NOPD did its job and arrested two suspects immediately; Silence is Violence has done much to raise national awareness, but turning down federal help for our city would reach a new level of tone deafness.

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Jason Linkins also makes an apt Kenneth from 30 Rock comparison.

Comments

[Bienville]

Does anyone believe that BS story about Harry Lee? It seems more unlikely to me every time I hear it.

Didn't Jindal live in Baton Rouge before Katrina, and only moved to Kenner to qualify for the State House seat?

Lee's jurisdiction is Jefferson Parish. The levee failures flooded none of Jefferson Parish. Were any of JP's residents trapped on their rooftops by flooding? What boats and what rooftops is Jindal talking about?

[amyers]

HuffPost's Pick

My favorite Tim Calhoun line:

"Jack Abramoff? But I hardly know Abram."

[JXB]

He sounded like they drilled into him the need to sound like a "plain spoken man."

Interesting that he included in his life story the financial difficulty his family faced over his mother's pregnancy and need for medical services. His father wouldn't have had to work out an "installment plan with the doctor" if they had ended up in Canada as opposed to the United States. He also refers to himself as "pre-existing condition," another interesting reference to our insurance-based healthcare system. "Pre-existing conditions" are often excluded from coverage in health insurance policies.

[trisha08]

OMG....I just had to watch the opening of his speech again. Although, I could only watch for a minute. It is so condesending. He DOES sound like he is talking to small children and he is telling them a fairy tale, "My parents came to this country from a distant land". Huh???? A distant land?

A distant land where lollipops grow on the side of the road and bean stalks grow tall into the sky.......­..

That's about how connected they are to reality.

[trisha08]

So, If I'm a repubulican and I live in an area that is theatened by a natural disaster such as a volcano blowing...­.and I towing the party line that this is wasteful spending, or do I think that volcano monitoring is kind of important? Hmmmmm

[jade7243]

Please SNL, bring back Tim Calhoun in a debate against Bobby Jindal and Sarah Palin...

The most apt comparison I have seen yet... Add a little more flop sweat and look out America!!!

[Bienville]

Tim Calhoun had the sense to be over 8 minutes shorter.

[Kyle Smith]

i thought this guy was educated..­.and he can't connect the dots about volcano monitoring?

[JRsNana]

They can only connect dots if they lead to hating gay people, alleged forced abortions and/or "science is a bad thing". The volcano monitoring would be considered science, hence, it must be ignored or debunked. It's the alternate reality zone.

[JRsNana]

R.I.P. GOP! Your rising star just flamed out. Now you're stuck with Sister Sarah as your only bright light. Good luck to ya!

[IWillCallYouOut]

OMG Yes. Tim Calhoun is exactly what I screamed out in my living room as I watched his bizarre, spastic hand gestures.

[PatA]

Happy Mardi Gras? 7 shootings along the parade route? Jindahl sure has his finger on the pulse of his state.
I suggest Jindahl/Palen for 2012.

[Boron]

Jindal was ineffective as a ventriloquist's dummy. He sounded like he was talking from the grave. McCain must have coached him.

[Boron]

Jindal was ineffective as a ventriloquist's dummy. He sounded like he was talking from the grave. McCain must have coached him. Both of them would look good in a bottle of formaldehyde.

[Sandy972]

I thought he sounded just like Dana Carvey doing Bobby Jindal on SNL. The he kept on accenting his words, especially "most".

[alcarcalimo2364]

It's so stilted and patronizing I can't even watch it...but I guess that's to be expected

Not a good impression for Republicans to make...the leaders are driving the party into the ground!

[Excitom]

Jindahl starts with a tribute to the history of Obama's first speech to the joint congress ... leaving out the fact that Jindahl's party did everything in it's power trying to prevent that moment. Sorry, GOP, we're not stupid. Join the Whigs on the dung heap of history.