Bobby Jindal as Vice President

Bobby Jindal, the current governor of Louisiana, is considered one of the up and coming stars of the Republican Party. Just in his middle thirties, Jindal has amassed a record of accomplishment that would be impressive for a politician twice his age.

Bobby Jindal started his public service as Secretary of Louisiana's Department of Health and Hospitals. During his tenure he managed to save that department from bankruptcy and leave it with a $220 million dollar surplus. This accomplishment brought him to the attention of the Bush Administration in 2001, which appointed Jindal as Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation.

Jindal ran for Governor of Louisiana for the first time in 2003 and lost narrowly. Subsequently he was elected to the United States Congress and won overwhelmingly, serving until his second run for Governor of Louisiana in 2007, which he won comfortably.

Bobby Jindal is of Indian heritage and converted from Hinduism to Roman Catholicism at an early age. He is also the first non white governor of Louisiana since Reconstruction.

Bobby Jindal brings obvious strengths to a McCain headed ticket. He has impeccable conservative credentials, which would tend to balance out McCain's somewhat more moderate and independent image. He is young, in fact the youngest governor in Louisiana history, which would tend to balance out McCain's advanced age. Finally, Jindal's knowledge of public policy, especially health and education, is without peer and would prove to be an asset to any McCain Administration.

The problem with McCain selecting Bobby Jindal as his running mate is that Jindal has just been elected governor of Louisiana. Jindal was elected primarily because the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina revealed the full extent of the corruption and incompetence that was rampant in Louisiana's state government. Jindal ran on the promise to clean up that corruption and bring sound government to Louisiana. For him to accept the possibility of being Vice President when he has barely been sworn in as governor would seem to be a breaking of that promise that would blight Jindal's political prospects.

Besides, as he is still in his middle 30s, Bobby Jindal has time to gain more experience before aspiring for higher office. Rush Limbaugh, the radio talk show host, among others has proclaimed Jindal the next Ronald Reagan. That remains to be seen, but few people should bet against a President Bobby Jindal being sworn in one bright, January day some time later this century.

Source: Bobby Jindal, Wikipedia