[StBernard] Jindal Running Scared

[Westley Annis]

Debate over debates emerges in governor's race
9/1/2007, 3:17 p.m. CDT
The Associated Press    

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Republican U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal has yet to debate
any of the announced candidates in the governor's race. And his campaign
says he likely won't until later this month, when he's set to participate in
the first of two forums he's agreed to leading to the Oct. 20 election.

Jindal's status as the presumed frontrunner has been frustrating for his
rivals and some TV stations and interest groups trying to host debates. Fox
New Louisiana and the League of Women Voters of Louisiana indefinitely
postponed a candidate forum set for Tuesday, which marks the first of a
three-day candidate signup period, after Jindal's campaign said he wasn't
coming. Jindal spokeswoman Melissa Sellers said Jindal never officially
committed to the event.

The Alliance for Good Government has been trying to stage an event for the
major candidates Sept. 12 at Loyola University in New Orleans. But as of
midday Friday, the group's president said it hadn't heard from Jindal.

Other groups also are rearranging schedules or simply waiting for Jindal to
make a decision.

Jindal's campaign manager said the campaign continues to consider offers to
participate in more debates.

Two major Democratic candidates whose campaigns have sought to gain traction
- state Sen. Walter Boasso and Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell -
have criticized Jindal for not participating in more debates.

Bob Mann, a one-time communications director for Democratic Gov. Kathleen
Blanco who now teaches at Louisiana State University, said Jindal's strategy
is understandable given his showing in some polls. A survey last month of
600 likely Louisiana voters, by Southern Media & Opinion Research, showed
Jindal with 63 percent of the vote, compared to 14 percent for Boasso, the
closest of the announced candidates in the race to replace Blanco, who is
not seeking re-election.

"What's unusual about this race is that you have a front-runner who has such
an enormous lead, and his attitude has been that, 'I'm just going to run out
the clock and not engage,'" Mann said, adding that the "only chance"
Jindal's rivals "really have is if they're able to effectively engage
Jindal."

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Information from: The Advocate, http://www.2theadvocate.com