Jindal Tops The Picks For Vice President?

Arizona Senator John McCain and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal making a stop together in Louisiana.

...it could be that Governor Jindal represents the best opportunity for McCain to bring together the varying different factions of the Republican Party together.

By Citizen Correspondent Wyatt McIntyre

Date Posted: 06/16/08

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The move is on...His name has often been kicked around since the beginning of the search process as a potential running mate for the presumptive Republican Nominee, Arizona Senator John McCain, but most of the time it has been downplayed, not least of all by the man himself as many speculate on the possibility that first term and newly minted Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal being placed on the second name on the ticket.

It would seem that there is a new push for a McCain-Jindal ticket around the rank and file of the Republican Party, a move that has even garnered support from one of the principle architects of the 1993 Contract with America, the conservative revolution that would sweep the Republicans into control of both houses of Congress the following year for the first time in decades.

Former Georgia Congressman and Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who has remained on the nation forefront as a spokesman for conservative causes even after his exit from elected office, was the latest to throw his support behind Governor Jindal, making the case for the 37 year old head of the Bayou State as McCain's top choice.

Yesterday on CBS's Face the Nation he took it to the next level, stating, "You could argue that in fact Jindal's experience in the executive branch and in the legislative branch is greater than Senator Obama's experience. So it strikes me that it's going to be very hard for Obama's campaign to explain that Jindal, as a governor, who has served as an assistant secretary of health and human services, has served as a congressional staffer, has served as a congressman, is not qualified but Senator Obama is qualified."

There he went on to further state, "I think Governor Jindal would be far and away the best candidate for Vice President in the country.”

But Gingrich was not the first big name to put his faith in Jindal as the top choice for McCain's running mate.