« NRA:The Untold Story of Gun Confiscation After Katrina | Main | Jake DeSantis Letter: "Dear A.I.G., I Quit! " »
March 26, 2009
Awesome Gov. Bobby Jindal Defends Those Who Want Obama to Fail
Governor Bobby Jindal headlined a major congressional fundraiser Tuesday night in Washington.
Before getting to the heart of his speech, Jindal cracked a few jokes on himself. The governor also told his audience it would be happy to know he was not speaking from a teleprompter.
Jindal Urges GOP to Stand Up to Obama
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal again found himself carrying the Republican mantle opposite a primetime appearance from President Barack Obama on Tuesday, saying Republicans must be ready to defy the president when they disagree with his policies. He also joked about his widely panned response to Obama's address to Congress last month.
"We are now in the position of being the loyal opposition," Jindal said at a Republican congressional fundraising dinner that only by coincidence fell on the same night as Obama's news conference. "The right question to ask is not if we want the president to fail or succeed, but whether we want America to succeed."
Saying "the time for talking about the past is over," Jindal said Republicans have begun to find their voice after back-to-back elections losses — motivated by what he called historic Democratic spending excess.
Jindal is widely considered a potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate, but his televised response to Obama's speech at the Capitol last month was widely panned. Some compared his delivery to the late children's television host Mister Rogers and said the address could hurt Jindal's national potential.
At Tuesday's $2,500-per-plate dinner — which President George W. Bush headlined last year — Jindal opened his speech by poking fun of himself. He threatened to deliver a reprise of the earlier performance and then jokingly compared it to torture.
"They're not allowed to show my speech at Gitmo anymore," he said. "They've banned that."
"We are now in the position of being the loyal opposition," Jindal said at a Republican congressional fundraising dinner that only by coincidence fell on the same night as Obama's news conference. "The right question to ask is not if we want the president to fail or succeed, but whether we want America to succeed."
Saying "the time for talking about the past is over," Jindal said Republicans have begun to find their voice after back-to-back elections losses - motivated by what he called historic Democratic spending excess.
La. Gov. Jindal urges GOP to stand up to Obama
Jindal defends those who want Obama to fail
It's OK for Republicans to want President Obama to fail if they think he's jeopardizing the country, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal told members of his political party Tuesday night.
Jindal described the premise of the question -- "Do you want the president to fail?" -- as the "latest gotcha game" being perpetrated by Democrats against Republicans.
"Make no mistake: Anything other than an immediate and compliant, 'Why no sir, I don't want the president to fail,' is treated as some sort of act of treason, civil disobedience or political obstructionism," Jindal said at a political fundraiser attended by 1,200 people. "This is political correctness run amok."
Since conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh said that he hoped that Obama would fail, Republicans have been pressed by Democrats and the media about Limbaugh's comments.
Now…in the short time I have left, let me comment directly on the latest gotcha game that I have noticed occurring in Washington today, and it is a game that the left has been playing and that some in the media have gone along with.
I’ve noticed that some of the Democrats in Congress have begun badgering Republican leaders with this question – They simply respond to any criticism of the President by asking – “so, do you want the President to fail? Do you? Do you? Yes or no?”
I’m going to give you a very direct answer to that question in just a minute. I will not disappoint. I will be very direct.
But first, let’s take a look at the question, the motive behind it, and what is really afoot here.
The suggestion behind the “do you want the President to fail question” is this – If you don’t answer their question with a loud “NO” immediately, if you don’t express instant obedience to the question, then you are not really a patriot, and you are essentially trying to undermine America.
Make no mistake, anything other than an immediate and compliant – “why no sir, I don’t want the President to fail” is treated as some sort of act of treason, civil disobedience, or political obstructionism.
This is political correctness run amok.
And let’s be clear, the very Democrat leaders who are now asking this phony question, are the ones who for so long wanted to see the last President fail, regardless of the issue, and regardless of whether he was right or wrong.
There is a very important role in our Republic for the loyal opposition. And we must be both. We are loyal to this country, and to the Republic on which it stands, one nation under God. And we will always be so. And we are loyal to the President of the United States, whether he is a Democrat or a Republican.
But make no mistake, loyalty does not mean we have to agree with his policies.
And we are also at present the opposition party. We are the party out of power. And it is altogether right and proper, and healthy for our Democracy, for us to speak up when we do not agree with the policies that this President pushes and proposes.
I will not be brow beaten on this, and I will not kow-tow to their political correctness. We will be the loyal opposition.
So…my answer to the question is very simple –
“Do you want the President to fail?”
It depends on what he is trying to do.
There is something far more important to us than whether the President or ANY politician fails.
Far more importantly, we don’t want America to fail.
When and if the President wants to cut taxes on job providers, reduce our national debt, stop the massive explosion of government spending, make good on his promise to seek earmark reforms, govern in a way that is fiscally responsible consistent with his rhetoric in his campaign, and act in a truly bi-partisan fashion, then I want him to succeed and I wish him God speed.
Let me repeat in case anyone misses the point, when and if the President pursues those policies, I do NOT want him to fail, I want him to succeed.
However -
When the President wants to spend our country into interminable debt, putting not only this generation but future generations into a position where the only way out will be massive tax increases…we oppose that policy, not because we want the President to fail, but because we want America to succeed.
When the President wants to increase taxes on small biz owners, the very people who create 70% of the jobs in the country…we oppose that policy, because we want America to succeed.
When the President wants to change the law so that taxpayer’s money is used for abortions…we say no, because we want all Americans, born and unborn to succeed.
When the President wants to use the stimulus bill as an opportunity to radically grow the size of government …we oppose him because we want America to succeed.
When the President wants to change the rules so that union elections are no longer conducted by private ballot, the way all American elections are conducted …we will not go along, because we want America to have the freedom to succeed.
When the President considers attempts to squelch media outlets that are not favorable to him by pursing the unfair “fairness doctrine” …we will not support that policy, because liberty is a key ingredient of American success.
When the President talks about striking the very word “enemy combatant” from our vocabulary …we disagree because we want Americans to succeed in every corner of the world.
When the President pursues polices that spend too much, tax too much, and borrow too much … we will not go along, because we are committed to making sure that America succeeds both now and in the future.
And when the President pursues polices that are akin to those of European socialism … policies that taken too far could cause America to fail, we will oppose, and we will stand up and be counted, and we will do so proudly, not because we want the President to fail, but because we want America to succeed.
And by the way…I make no apologies for any of these positions, and neither should any of you.
Thank you all for you time tonight, thank you for what you do for America, may God bless you all, and may the loyal opposition continue to speak out and stand on principle. Thank you again, and good night.
Wild Thing's comment......
Excellent! He was awesome, I wish I could have found the video of this. But I looked and could not find it. It starts with one Hero...and I am praying he emerges to the forefront, meanwhile I am praying for the ones I am keeping track of right now. Sarah yes but also some others.
Powerful interview from yesterday too.
RUSH: While President Obama was delivering a typically boring and professorial press conference last night, Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, was addressing the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee dinner in Washington, DC.
JINDAL: The suggestion behind this question, "Do you want the president to fail?" is this: If you don't answer that question with a loud "no" immediately, if you don't express instant obedience to the question, then they're trying to suggest you're not really a patriot. They're essentially saying that you're trying to undermine America. Make no mistake. Anything other than an immediate, a compliant, "Why, no, sir, I don't want the president to fail" is treated as some act of treason, civil disobedience, or political obstructionism. Let's be clear. The very democratic leaders who are now asking this phony question are the ones who for so long wanted to see the last president fail, regardless of the issue, regardless of whether he was right or wrong.
RUSH: Bobby Jindal. They're applauding. The people at the Republican congressional campaign dinner in Washington were actually applauding. This is something Republicans could learn. He's right. "Do you agree with Limbaugh, you want the president to fail?" "Oh, no, no, no, I want him to succeed, of course we want the president to succeed." Jindal goes, "Come on, can we get real?" The question's a setup. They want to call you a traitor if you say you don't want the president to succeed. And what he goes on to say is, let's not forget who wanted Bush to fail and in the middle of a war, and they wanted the military to fail. And he continued.
JINDAL: I'll not be browbeaten on this. I won't kowtow to their political correctness. We will be the loyal opposition. So my answer to this question is very simple. When they ask, "Do you want the president to fail?" It depends on what he is trying to do. There is something far more important to us than whether the president or any politician fails. Far more importantly we don't want America to fail. (applause) When the president wants to spend our country into debt, interminable debt, putting not only this generation but future generations into a position where the only way out will be massive tax increases, we oppose that policy, not because we want the president to fail, but because we want Americans to succeed.
JINDAL: When he pursues policies that are akin to those of European socialism, policies that, taken too far, could cause America to fail, we will oppose, we will stand up and be counted, we'll do so proudly, not because we want the president to fail, but because we want America to succeed.
....Thank you Mark for telling me about this.
Mark
3rd Mar.Div. 1st Battalion 9th Marine Regiment
1/9 Marines aka The Walking Dead
VN 66-67
Posted by Wild Thing at March 26, 2009 05:48 AM
Comments
Notice it's the younger Reps that are standing up and speaking to this. To the career politicians, it's the vote before all else.
One exception ~ Fred Thompson is also speaking up (no surprise):
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/03/25/thompson-i-dont-want-obamas-policies-to-succeed/
Be sure to read the comments underneath the article - the clueless speak. Of course, it's CNN so no surprise there either. Though it's scary to see just how mis-informed people actually are.
Posted by: yankeemom at March 26, 2009 09:09 AM
I should start from the bottom up when I'm catching up here - I should have known you would've already had the Thompson interview, WT!! LOL
Posted by: yankeemom at March 26, 2009 09:24 AM
The question 'do you want the President to fail' is akin to asking your neighbor, "Do you still beat your wife ?" Even though he never did, there is no answer that can satisfy the question in a way that would convey that he never did or would he ever beat his wife.
Now if I can figure this out then why can't a genius like Michael Steele or Newt Gingrich come to the same conclusion.
Now Newt has changed his tune but the Steele's and the David Frum's of the party are the reason we wound up with McCain the Super Rino candidate for president. Frum and others want to modernize the party to invite the younger generation, meaning to be inclusive, meaning diversity and all inclusive, and especially shutting up people like Ann Coulter and to include the ABORTION plank in our platform. In other words a watered down version of the Democrat Party.
Every time the republicans have moved in that direction they have lost because the republicans are trying to out-democrat the Democrats and that can't be done. The democrats tell their people why vote for an imposter when you can vote for the party of Really big government. Hence, we got obama.
Posted by: Mark at March 26, 2009 09:27 AM
I want O'Vomit to fail miserably and the sooner the better.
Posted by: cuchieddie (VN66/68) at March 26, 2009 10:40 AM
Bobby Jindal, Fred Thompson, Sarah Palin, and a few others are our hope of bringing back Conservative principals that made this country great.
Mark, I've got some doubts on Newt. He threw JC Watts under the bus when Watts called Jesse Jackson as a race hustling poverty pimp. Since then, I take Newt with a grain of salt.
Posted by: BobF at March 26, 2009 01:37 PM
Yankeemom, thank you, that is so funny. I am glad you posted the link because I had not read the comments.
I have to laugh at the clueless like you said, they are trying hard to be clueles now more then ever. hahahaha
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 26, 2009 07:12 PM
Mark, HUGE ditto!!!!
"Now if I can figure this out then why can't a genius like Michael Steele or Newt Gingrich come to the same conclusion"
I am sick of how they both run hot and cold. I really have had it with both of them.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 26, 2009 07:15 PM
cuchieddie (VN66/68), Yesss. I was thinking about it last night and there is not one single thing he has done that I am glad about. Not one.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 26, 2009 07:16 PM
BobF, yes those are all good ones.
I didn't know that Newt did that with J.C. Watts, he was a good guy too. Newt is a mess, I am extremely disappointed in him. I don't trust him at all.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 26, 2009 07:21 PM
Chrissie, this is what Thomas Sowell had to say about what Newt did to JC Watts.
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell013106.asp
Back in 1997, when black Republican Congressman J.C. Watts denounced people like Jesse Jackson and then D.C. mayor Marion Barry as "race-hustling poverty pimps," House Speaker Newt Gingrich took it upon himself to apologize to Jesse Jackson.
To apologize for what another man said is to treat that man as if he were your child or your servant. Gingrich then added further insult by inviting Jesse Jackson to join him in his box for the Clinton inauguration for his second term as president.
Pulling the rug out from under your friends, in order to appease your enemies, may seem like clever politics to some people. But what could possibly have led Republicans to think that pro-Jesse Jackson blacks were ever going to vote for them?
Posted by: BobF at March 26, 2009 08:31 PM
BobF, thank you so much!!! I read it and I am saving it in my Favorites. This is so unforgivable that Newt did this, so he has been a rino for a long time.
Thank you Bob.
Posted by: Wild Thing at March 26, 2009 11:41 PM
