I confess. After President Obama’s address last night, the place I watched it at closed right before Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal’s response. So I’m confined to the blogs and Twitter, but evenconservatives are saying his delivery needs work.
New York Times columnist David Brooks called it “stale” and “insane” and “a disaster for the Republican Party.” (h/t Ben Smith, Politico)
That’s unfortunate for Jindal, considering what Brooks told me last week.
Are there other evangelicals you would like to see more of?
I liked Mike Huckabee’s campaign. There [are] a bunch of governors who are committed Christians as well as very modern, sophisticated politicians like Bobby Jindal in Louisiana. The people will naturally emerge, I think.
Over at Beliefnet, Rod Dreher makes a religious comparison.
Bobby Jindal was a total disappointment. He was badly over-rehearsed; Matthew, my kid, watched with me and said, “He sounds totally artificial. He sounds like a televangelist.” I can’t improve on that description. It sounded like that to me too.
On the other hand, Mike Gerson writes on a more positive note for the Washington Post.
It is also an indication of what has been called the “ecumenism of the trenches” – the remarkable alliance between evangelicals and Catholics on moral issues such as abortion and family values against an aggressive secularism. … If Jindal runs for president in three or seven years, he will be widely viewed as an evangelical choice.
There is an interesting similarity between Jindal and Kenneth from 30 Rock I couldn’t help noticing.
Update: A few of our Twitter followers responded to this blog post. Here are a few replies:
tnhuckaby@CTmagazine I thought he did fine.
sherylshearer@CTmagazine So one poor performance ruins a politician? Plueeze. Way to show grace.
bwscoles@CTmagazine Too bad you printed this. Jindal’s strength is substance not delivery. Seems for a “Christian” mag, that should be your focus.
Update #2: Turns out, I wasn’t the only one who thought 30 Rock’s Kenny and Jindal had some similarities. Here’s Kenny’s response to the Internet’s response to Jindal’s response to Obama’s speech.
