March 2, 2009
Posted: March 2nd, 2009 07:54 PM ET

From
Jindal is still in recovery mode after his widely-panned speech.
Jindal is still in recovery mode after his widely-panned speech.

(CNN) – Is Bobby Jindal following in Bill Clinton’s footsteps?

In 1988, the then-Arkansas governor was considered a hot pick as a future presidential candidate for his party.

That was before “the speech.”

Awarded a high-profile speaking gig at the Democratic Convention, Clinton nearly derailed his national political future with a disastrous performance. The speech was widely panned, and ran so long the crowd actually cheered when he said “in conclusion.”

But living up to his nickname of “Comeback Kid,” Clinton helped bury the poor speech with an appearance on the Tonight Show, where he emerged laughing as host Johnny Carson poked fun with a long, rambling introduction. And in a memorable moment, Clinton said the speech “wasn’t my finest hour. Or even hour and a half.”

Flash forward to last week, when Jindal, the Louisiana governor and rising Republican star, was tapped to give the GOP response to President Obama’s address to the nation. Like Clinton, Jindal’s speech was badly received, and some of the buzz over his future dimmed.

But a week that included comparisons of Jindal to the 30 Rock character Kenneth the Page ended on a far more dignified note: Jindal was profiled on 60 Minutes. Tonight, he appears on CNN’s “Larry King Live”.

The venues are different than the one Clinton chose – serious interview segments rather than late-night comedy. And the 60 Minutes segment wasn’t a last-minute add like Clinton’s “Tonight Show” cameo. But they offer the same opportunity: damage control.

Emory University political science professor Merle Black said Jindal, like Clinton, “is trying to minimize the losses and replace them with a positive image with voters.”

Black said that many politicians would have “hid under the bushes over that kind of thing,” not emerge days later to confront a botched performance, as Clinton did. Clinton was able to laugh at himself, and “humanize himself” with the audience.

“Jindal is trying to follow that model,” said CNN senior political analyst Bill Schneider. It’s not the late-night circuit, but he is “presenting a different side of himself, a more attractive and more appealing side of himself.”

Schneider said some of Jindal’s problems may have come from his use of a tele-prompter. His latest television appearances show him in a much more natural setting. And while it was a rough week for Jindal, Schneider said damage control is important because “a week is a lifetime in politics, three years is an eternity.” If Jindal did not re-emerge right away, “he would have been a joke for a while.”

The Louisiana governor used a few self-deprecating comments Monday at a news conference with home state reporters at the Capitol in Baton Rouge. In advance text of his comments, distributed by his aides, Jindal said he was “not nearly as good a speaker as the president. I'm not alone in this opinion. ... I tried slowing down, and now they're saying I spoke too slowly.”

The Times-Picayune said Jindal joked he didn’t mind the jibes comparing him to Mr. Rogers, as opposed to some of the colorful politicians in Louisiana’s history.

Filed under: Bobby Jindal


maya   March 3rd, 2009 12:36 am ET

To be honest with you, I turned of after 30 seconds. Amateur would do better. I doubt giving my vote to that person ever!

frank   March 3rd, 2009 12:27 am ET

How in the world can you compare Bill Clinton to this guy? What a stretch. You think because a speech went bad you can compare an inexperienced wanna be to a two term ex president?

Stupid.

barfly   March 3rd, 2009 12:26 am ET

Add another one to Rush's boys. It never ends. This is why I, as a Repubican, vote Democrate now.....

Sam   March 3rd, 2009 12:18 am ET

haha Kenneth the page.

G.R.I.T.S - Girl Raised in the South   March 3rd, 2009 12:11 am ET

That hardly explains the lies, or makes it all better.

Carl from Texas   March 3rd, 2009 12:11 am ET

That puts things in perspective. I just want what's best for America... to heck with the party affiliation.

fog   March 3rd, 2009 12:09 am ET

I think dude crazy

Critical Thinker   March 3rd, 2009 12:09 am ET

Palin makes Bobby Jindal sound like Henry Clay, the great orator.

cecil   March 3rd, 2009 12:05 am ET

Too Late Mr. Rogers!

j lewis   March 3rd, 2009 12:03 am ET

Michael Steele is indeed "the de facto leader of the Republican Party.", until Rush decides otherwise. He obviously does not have the spine to stand by his ground, when challenged . He was in essence told by " the de facto leader of the Republican Party", Rush to remember his place, like a good boy.

Mike, Vancouver   March 3rd, 2009 12:01 am ET

Trying to parallel the president is weak at best. Jindals' vision is the size of Louisiana and Obamas vision is global. Bobby Jindal will need to grow his heart by three sizes to even get on the same stage as President Obama. And stay out of the Politcal crap before he can even think to help the country.

Proud American   March 2nd, 2009 11:59 pm ET

The RNC plan to lock this Idiot in a closet and never let him out again and that will fix the problem. Americans will once again fall in love with Republican Idiots and all will be well in America. The sad facts are: Once again the republican party has shown Americans in "PRIME TIME" what they have to offer and their solution to fix our country. As aloyal demorcat I say thank you republicans and I'm happy to see you have the ability to pull from your garbage another moron.

d in fl   March 2nd, 2009 11:56 pm ET

I used to like him. But i guess politics changes the man the man dont change the politics.

abdul S   March 2nd, 2009 11:54 pm ET

First impression did not meet the test and both message delivery and the style were poor. I think that it was a suicide mission without recovery in his personality and his future in 2012. It is always hard to match a President Obama with high approval rating and such a brilliant gifted oratory skills. If Jindal is what the GOP is offering is just like drought stricken area waiting and praying for a rain. Even now, there is dispute going on about the GOP leadership whether it is STEELS or RUSH. This party is doomed to fail and will be marginalized next election.

Alicia   March 2nd, 2009 11:53 pm ET

How about the rail system that he said was pork? NOW, he wants $110 Billion to put a rail system in Louisianna. LOL

He is the Krypt Keeper.

Carl from MI   March 2nd, 2009 11:51 pm ET

It's over...

His run for the Repub candidacy for POTUS is over before it even started!!!

dmott   March 2nd, 2009 11:47 pm ET

I notice that he didn't mention the fact that portions of his speech were outright lies. I also noticed that most news stations including this one omitted that fact. Where has honest and full reporting gone?

Lush Limprick is the HEAD of the Republican NAZI Committee!   March 2nd, 2009 11:43 pm ET

Careful, Jindal or you will have to get out the kneepads and worship at the alter of the bald bloated bonehead, just like the ex-head of the RNC was humiliated into doing on Monday night. Of course, in most voters mind this, has relegated Steele to an impotent token(some of us had already known about the token part, this just reinforced it0 leader,. Then there was the Georgia congressman who had to butt snorkel for forgiveness. Cantor’s explanation of how his comments about not wanting failure for Obama were taken “out of context “will make the score Rush 3 and RNC 0.

You boys of color better toe the line and remember you two are only in this repub gig to fill the roles of "step" and "fetch it" and only as long as Jabba the Hut enjoys the worship service. Otherwise, he will cut you loose for the price of a shopped script for Vicodin!

Of course, you could be better at the act of worship than Steele apparently was...

Mike   March 2nd, 2009 11:42 pm ET

No matter how good or bad the delivery was, there is still the minor matter of the miserable content and off-track message. You can improve the delivery, you can put lipstick on a pig, but..... well, you know the story.

Kim   March 2nd, 2009 11:41 pm ET

I thought he was awesome.
I really liked the part where he lied about Katrina.
That was great.

dont drop the soap Rush   March 2nd, 2009 11:38 pm ET

Mr.Jindal doesnt stand a chance,poor guy.Now that Limbaugh has been proclaimed King of the republicans,lets do some real vetting of his finances,offshore accts etc.and see who really pays him.He is no longer a private citizen,he is the self proclaimed leader of millions of people.

tom   March 2nd, 2009 11:34 pm ET

i don't know, there wasn't youtube back in 1988................

Mel of Alexandria, Virginia   March 2nd, 2009 11:30 pm ET

Gov. Jindal may have what it takes to be a "Comeback Kid", but the party that is following Rush and certain other racists and right wing-nuts may not do so well, because the people are seeing through much of their hypocrisy and narrow-mindedness, although dressed up in the skirt of conservatism.

Sheri   March 2nd, 2009 11:22 pm ET

The speech is terrible and so is he.

ROC   March 2nd, 2009 11:19 pm ET

Master Voodoo trying to hypnotize America and failed. Haha

Lane   March 2nd, 2009 11:07 pm ET

When you idolize Rush Limbaugh and declare him your "God" I don't think you have a chance at anything.

Katie   March 2nd, 2009 11:06 pm ET

His speech was written by Rush Limbaugh and edited by Carl Rove. Enough said.

Jillie   March 2nd, 2009 11:03 pm ET

Jindal is just a Republican puppet on a string.

Steve in Louisville   March 2nd, 2009 11:02 pm ET

We'll be lucky if we all don't get Jindaled like the people in Louisiana have.

jedimaster17   March 2nd, 2009 11:01 pm ET

Poor Jindal, he too is exploited by his "allies"
Parallel indeed.

Ed, Santa Fe, NM   March 2nd, 2009 10:52 pm ET

BOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Zion   March 2nd, 2009 10:48 pm ET

Just leave. Audition over.

Larry   March 2nd, 2009 10:44 pm ET

I don't know that much about him,but I know he's done more than work for a neighborhood group.

Christian   March 2nd, 2009 10:41 pm ET

I replay his rebuttal when I have trouble sleeping.

Willy Brown   March 2nd, 2009 10:40 pm ET

I see the liberal attack machine is at work trying to palinize Bobby. What are you liberals afraid of. Colour?

EVOLVE   March 2nd, 2009 10:37 pm ET

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY ILLUSION AND DECEPTION GAMES HAVE CAUGHT UP TO THEM AND NOW THE RIGHT WING NEO CON'S ARE HAVING TROUBLE PULLING IT TOGETHER.

RUSH LIMBAUGH – GIVE ME A BREAK! IF HE REPRESENTS AMERICAN I HAVE SOME SWAMP LAND TO SELL SOMEBODY.

GET REAL!!

slavs06   March 2nd, 2009 10:36 pm ET

RHe is still our next best hope!

slavs06   March 2nd, 2009 10:36 pm ET

He is still our next best hope!

peggyledbetter   March 2nd, 2009 10:32 pm ET

Bobby Jindal, Sarah Palin, Michael Steele and Rush his name is the Republican party worse nightmare. It's long over for this crowd, don't they get it? The people are sick of lies and corrupt Republicans....this time it won't work, we have finally woke up!!!!

So What!   March 2nd, 2009 10:29 pm ET

The Republicans are floundering, out of touch and soon will be out of mind. Who cares what Jindal does? Palen, Joe the not Plumber, Coulter, Keyes, Limbaugh, etc. – what a hot mess!

JonDie   March 2nd, 2009 10:28 pm ET

Jindal is a moron.

survivor   March 2nd, 2009 10:26 pm ET

Hopefully there will also be more substance also!

Gretel   March 2nd, 2009 10:26 pm ET

Don't compare Bobby Jindal to Bill Clinton. That's a ridiculous comparison. Did Bill Clinton tell outright lies in his speech? Did Bill clinton evoke thoughts of a disaster such as Katrina, highlighting a major blunder of his party? Was Bill clinton chosen to speak because of what he looked like, eg skin color, foreign background, etc? Fundamentally, Bobby Jindal does not stand for what Bill Clinton ever stood for. Bobby Jindal is snobbish and doesn't give a hoot about the people of Louisianna.

The only similarity so far was that their speeches were panned.

Kimberly in Azizona   March 2nd, 2009 10:26 pm ET

This idiot is just another idiot in the long line of idiots to emerge from the gop. They are DESPERATE, and they are just sthrowing anything and everything at the wall hoping something sticks..Its AWESOME. It gaurantees they are not making a come back, and that they are going to lose more and more seats in 2010. I hope ALL the govs that turned down the money for their states are voted right out on their anti American butts, Jindal, well he is the first to go!

Phoenix   March 2nd, 2009 10:24 pm ET

Rush Limbaugh just sent Micheal Steele to his cabin. Watch out! Bobby.

Obama - NOPE   March 2nd, 2009 10:22 pm ET

Jindal has a bright future in national politics. He'll be around, long after Obama has retired to write his memoirs (including the regretful chapter about his economic Depression).

Raj Kapoor   March 2nd, 2009 10:22 pm ET

Mr. Jindal ]is the worst speaker than a high school drop out in a developing country in the world. I believe he is worst then the lady from Alaska, the vp choice of the Republican Party in the last election.

Jindal needs lessons in speech and lot of training in presenting his thoughts. He is a complete looser and a disgrace to Indian community.

John   March 2nd, 2009 10:22 pm ET

pssssst, Bobby Jindal.

Want some advice on "damage control?"

Lose the GOP affiliation.

laverne   March 2nd, 2009 10:20 pm ET

Mr. Rogers is a good person to compare his tone of speech. I couldn't sit through it all because his speech pattern got on my last nerve. He spoke as if his audience was a bunch of first graders.

Calm down   March 2nd, 2009 10:17 pm ET

CNN, can you please just relax? We've barely ended the last pres. election – it is *way* too early to be making these kind of speculations.

How about filling the space with some better analysis of the mess we're in, how we got there and how to get out of it?

Brendan H., San Antonio, TX   March 2nd, 2009 10:17 pm ET

Palin-Jindal – 2012!!!

As a Democrat, I'd love to see it!

joe six pack   March 2nd, 2009 10:02 pm ET

What about taking care of your unemployed in LA instead of playing national politics?

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