[StBernard] Editorial: Where's Jindal?

[Westley Annis]

Editorial: Where's Jindal?
September 8, 2007


C'mon, Bobby, it's time even for frontrunners to show up for candidate
forums.

Candidate qualifying is over, the state is just more than 30 days from the
October primary. If Mr. Jindal can make time for orchestrated appearances
pushing noncontroversial anti-crime proposals, he can wedge in a couple of
hours for an event that puts him on the same dais with the other major
candidates in the governor's race.

Earlier this week Jindal backed out of a Baton Rouge forum sponsored by the
League of Women Voters that was to be broadcast statewide. 

Then Thursday, an LSUS forum had to be canceled when Jindal announced that
he had a conflict. The forum was to have been carried regionally by Red
River Radio and KTBS-TV. The Times planned full coverage of the event.

The less-than-compelling response issued by Jindal's camp Friday: "We have
already announced two debates - the LPB debate on September 27th and the
WWL-WAFB debate on October 17th. Bobby is the only candidate in the race who
has outlined detailed policy chapters. Bobby has made it clear that he looks
forward to doing debates after we announce specific policy proposals to
bring Louisiana a fresh start and we encourage other candidates to do the
same so debates are a substantive discussion of ideas and not an exchange of
smears and attacks."

We know Jindal, a U.S. congressman, is smart, articulate and well versed on
the issues that confront the state. Our editorial board met with him as
recently as last month. 

But it's time now to let voters hear him field questions on taxes and health
care, size him up against the other candidates who also want to be the next
governor.

And for northwest Louisiana, we deserve to hear specifics about where we fit
in to the Kenner congressman's priorities and goals for the state.

Both Jindal and Democrat state Sen. Walter Boasso pulled out of the LSUS
forum, but the Republican is clearly the linchpin in these events. Boasso
recounted to The Times recently that he told organizers of a south Louisiana
forum that he would attend only if Jindal showed or if the state senator
were allowed to carry onto the stage his well-traveled cardboard cutout of
the congressman. 

It's time for that cutout to be shredded in favor of substantive discussion
before live audiences and questioners.

As one south Louisiana columnist noted, it's odd that the umpteen
presidential candidates of both parties began appearing at forums a year
before the primary season and yet we can't assemble a field of at least the
four most well-known gubernatorial contenders. 

Haven't U.S. troops been fighting overseas both to defend and export our
vaunted political freedoms? 

It's time for Mr. Jindal to act less like a calculating politician
protecting a statistical lead, and more like, well, someone who understands
that candidates for public office ought to make themselves available to
public forums and debates.





CThe Times

September 8, 2007