You may have missed it, seeing as it was buried in his Very Special Storytime response to President Obama’s stirring, patriotic address to the nation tonight, but Louisiana Governor and Kenneth from 30 Rock impersonator Bobby Jindal says your civil rights struggle is over:
“This is the nation that cast off the scourge of slavery, overcame the Great Depression, prevailed in two World Wars, won the struggle for civil rights, defeated the Soviet menace, and responded with determined courage to the attacks of September 11, 2001. “
Hurray, we won! Everybody go get married in New Orleans tomorrow! Keep the party going past Fat Tuesday! Adopt your kids, gay parents! And don’t worry you’ll get fired for being gay, because the struggle for civil rights is ancient history! Other fun things we learned about Bobby Jindal: He hates Mickey Mouse and hopes Portland gets buried under an avalanche of volcanic ash. Also, you know he talks to snakes, right?
Sebbe
@Japhy – You really need to do some live blogging for these things. A SOU (lite), really what’s more gay than that. Drag Race would be a hoot too. LOL
@notjaphy – Awesome speech by Obama. Was so British House of Commons.
Jindal is scary, horrible speech. When he walked out, Olbermann didn’t realise the mic was on and said “ohhh gaaaaaaawd”!!!!!
What the hell was he talking about? Something about Volcanos and Katrina? Are republicans even allowed to talk about Katrina?
todd
This DWEEB is the great brown hope of the Rethuglican party? He sounds like Kenneth from 30 Rock. The youngest governor in the nation has the youthful demeanor of a retiring Mr. Rogers.
getreal
Ha! Love the 30 rock reference. The way this guy acted post Katrina tells me everything I need to know about him but don’t be surprised if the conservatives start pretending to be less homophobic. They are looking to people like this guy to make them look more open-minded and moderate. This guy is pure old school republican.
sal
“his Very Special Storytime response ” lol wasnt it .damn like hes talking to a bunch of 5 year olds,if i was an American i would be offended
Sebbe
Yeah wonkette was blogging about the 30 rock thang. Don’t watch it so I’m not sure, but I’ll take everyone’s word for it.
ceazer
OK, Obama rocked! Jindal…….not so much
Alexa
My response to his rebuttal was similar to Rachel Maddow’s – slack jawed speechlessness.
Sebbe
via thinkprogress
Lousiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s (R) response to President Obama’s speech tonight received a universal thumbs down from the Fox News panelists, who are traditionally conservatives’ most gentle critics:
BRIT HUME: “The speech read a lot better than it sounded. This was not Bobby Jindal’s greatest oratorical moment.”
NINA EASTON: “The delivery was not exactly terrific.”
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER: “Jindal didn’t have a chance. He follows Obama, who in making speeches, is in a league of his own. He’s in a Reagan-esque league. … [Jindal] tried the best he could.”
JUAN WILLIAMS: “It came off as amateurish, and even the tempo in which he spoke was sing-songy. He was telling stories that seemed very simplistic and almost childish.”
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/24/jindal-fox-ncot/
Alex
Yes! Piyush Jindal (Bobby J?) is a dead ringer for Kennith. “Golly gee, President Obama, my pa taught me that Coca Cola makes America great.” I loved the part where he listed all of America’s great achievements, all of which were accomplished by the Federal government he was denouncing.
Michael W.
Mr. Jindal’s Neighborhood:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wROwWvq6zvw
Flex
Bobby Jindal is a radical religious bigot. He used homophobic rhetoric to win the hate of the christian fundamentalists who govern his state. He opposes anything gay, and lacks the slightest shred of common sense. He deserves the uninteresting state that he oppresses over.
The Gay Numbers
I think the GOP is dead for 10 years. I have a conservative friend- she said this to me about her party. That they are in the Wilderness for at least 10 years because they have nothing to offer. This is the first time I agree with her completely, and my fear of a rebound is leaving. I think we have a really good chance of obtaining our full rights in the next 10 years.
John in CA
What in God’s name was that? Did Governor Jindal think this was debate night at the Baton Rouge High School?
We’re talking about the opposition’s official response to the State of the Union address. You know, that very important joint session of Congress where the President outlines his agenda for the legislative session (i.e. our version of the Speech from the Throne).
Listen up, Republicans. I know you’re not used to being in opposition and what not, but that was horrid by any standard. When you’re engaging in solemn rituals of state, you’re supposed to know which side of the stage you’re entering from. And you’re supposed to test the lighting. And you’re supposed to practice pronunciation beforehand. It isnt that complicated.
Nick
Damn he’s ugly!
Guy Paul
I don’t understand why there was a “Republican response” in the first place. This is our President. He’s not campaigning.
I knew with all certainty that every single action of George W. Bush would result in the destruction of our economy, foreign relations, health, civil rights, education and security, but I never hoped that he would be the miserable failure that he was. Now we have a President who is intelligent, respectful, eloquent, fair and sincere and Fox and the other neo-cons are nearly peeing their pants with eagerness for something to go wrong. Why don’t they want good things to happen? What kind of monster hopes that our economy will fail? Isn’t that the antithesis of patriotism? Of decency? Of common sense?
Guy Paul
I should add that I know the partisan response is standard and not just reserved for the Obama presidency. I meant in a larger sense that I don’t understand to point of an official answer from the “opposing” party. It’s as if the President is viewed only as the President of one particular party.
Not to mention that Jindal’s comments were drivel.
John in CA
@Guy Paul: Traditionally, the opposition party gives a response to the SOTU. It represents the continuity of democracy and all that.
When there’s a “majority government” (the Presidency and Congress are controlled by the same party) in place, as is the case this year, it is just a symbolic protest. Since the Republicans have absolutely no power right now, their protests are essentially meaningless. They cannot stop Obama from enacting his agenda.
However, when there’s a “minority government” (the Presidency and Congress are divided between the parties), then the opposition response actually has some meaning. It is a good gauge of what the opposition Congress will do with a President’s agenda. Though in reality it usually means no major reforms or dramatic changes for the next year. Minority governments can count on getting basic budget legislation through Congress to keep the federal government running (and little else).
B
is it me or should Jindal supporters get a WHOLE LOT less homophobic if they like him…
gurlene
I think someone should explain to this man who was born in the south what the term “pick-a-ninny” means. He is clearly the spittin’ image of it.
The republican party in Illinois was so desperate for a candidate to run against Obama for the senate they imported Alan Keyes who lost so badly it spelled the end of him (thank god) as a reliable pick-a-ninny for the party.
Now up steps this opportunist who figures it is a waste of money to keep track of volcanoes. LOL does he think Mt. Saint Helen was a joke? Those are not photoshop photos we are looking at of that disaster.
He will soon go the way of Gov. Schwartzenneger, who was clearly snubbed by John McCain (remember when he DID NOT show up at the convention to show support for McCain) and was never considered for a cabinet post in the event of a republican victory.
You have had your 5 minutes of fame, Mr. Jindal, and you blew it by being yourself. Thank you. NEXT.
Sebbe
Did everyone notice how once again, the only solution suggested by the GOP was tax breaks. They just don’t get it.
One of the commentators hit it right on the nail on either CNN or MSNBC, she said it was quite apparent that the speech was written with total disregards to Obama’s speech (even though they are given a draft copy in advance and that is really the point of the response as John in CA has noted above).
John in CA – Well it actually wasn’t a SOTU (officially), although it surely had all the trappings of one. Besides that, I agree with everything you have said.
@B – LOL, I said the same thing last night,haha.
Sebbe
gurlene – Care to enlighten us yankees what “pick-a-ninny” means, I always thought it was a racist term, but I’ve never heard anyone say it in the North.
REBELComx
Oh let’s see here.
Slavery – The first Republican President freed slaves using the power of the FEDERAL government. It was not a state by state fight like it has been for our rights.
overcame the Great Depression – Democrat in office. WWII helped.
prevailed in two World Wars – both fought and won by Democratic presidents,
won the struggle for civil rights – All done at the federal level: Women’s right to vote (Democratic president), de-segregation/black rights (Civil Rights act of 1964 – Democratic president),
defeated the Soviet menace – it collapsed after going broke. Really it defeated itself,
responded with determined courage to the attacks of September 11 (LOL, really?)
Vicente Fox
@John in CA: I thought Republicans were against the “fairness doctrine”.
Darth Paul
@Nick: Totally. Shug Avery’s famous line comes to mind everytime I see him.
blake
@REBELComx:
To be fair, the Democratic President Lyndon Johnson needed the votes of liberal Northern Republicans to overcome the racist Dixiecrats. Remember, up until 1968, the Republican Party had a long history of being the party for Civil Rights. In 1968, the Republicans saw how African-Americans were jumping ship to join Lyndon Johnson’s Democratic Party. The Republicans then began their 40 year history of the Southern Strategy, using racism to win the votes of racist white Southerners >>and<< Northerners.
Jindahl is just a hack. Any governor who would refuse to take $90 million of unemployment insurance for the poor(!!!) is a partisan scumbag more interested in kissing up to the Rush Limbaugh fringe than helping his fellow Americans who are in desperate need of help.
Sebbe
@blake – He didn’t have a problem taking the other 3.7 billion from the federal government though, just the 100 million for unemployment. What a joke.
His real name is Piyush Jindal, allegedly he choose to rename himself “Bobby” after watching the Brady Bunch and he liked the character. Rather ironic how they won’t use his real name after the GOP caused such an uproar over Obama not using his middle name as actively as they saw fit.
REBELComx
@blake: Sad how far they’ve fallen, isn’t it?
Alan down in Florida
Wasn’t he an extra in Slumdog Millionaire? Seriously though, how did a commercial for Bobby Jindal for President 2012 pass as a Republican response? The only people left in the Republican party have the worst tin ear as to what Americans are saying.
Michael Steele & Bobby Jindal. Let’s see what that ticket does for the GOP. Do they really think Americans are that stupid?
Tom in COS
Does anyone else find it humorous that the Repubs. keep calling for tax cuts, yet want us to up military spending? Where do they think the money for military spending comes from? Their magic, invisible sky genie, AKA God?
blake
@REBELComx:
Imagine if the last 40 years didn’t feature the racism, sexism, and homophobia that the Rethugs have used to win elections. What if neither party had adopted fear and hate as their tools to victory. How much further along would our society be?
Imagine that the Republicans had not sided with Anita Bryant and Jerry Falwell. What if Ronald Reagan hadn’t triumphantly said he was “for States Rights” on the fair grounds of Philadelphia, MS, where Civil Rights workers Cheney, Schwerner and Goodman were butchered.
Of course Republicans aren’t the only ones guilty of using a little bigotry to win votes as Bill Clinton showed in 1992 or NY State Senator Ruben Diaz showed late last year.
Hopefully, our society will evolve out of this.
P.S.
It’s really is back to the future with the Republicans. All these idiots can do is talk about “big government” and “tax cuts.” The same ridiculous rhetoric they’ve pushed for 30 years. They used those same words during the Reagan-Bush-Clinton-Bush Era and where did it get us? Economic meltdown 2008/09!
Tax cuts are a joke if you aren’t making any money. And, no I don’t care if someone making over $250K has to pay the same amount in taxes they paid under Bill Clinton. The world does not revolve around the top 2% of Americans. I’d love to be rich. I hate seeing taxes taken out of my paycheck, but I’m happy to see schools, libraries, a functional military, and all of the rest of the services government provides.
Instead, the GOP automatons talk of class warfare against the rich. The real class warfare has been against the middle and working class.
How many of you have pensions? Did your grandparents have a pension? Do you really think your 401K savings will be enough? Imagine if the Republicans had been successful in “privatizing” Social Security, investing your money in the stock market. How awesome would that be? The truth is if you were a retiree and had all of your retirement money in the market, you would be frakked! Your home would have lost its value and both your 401K and Social Security accounts would have seen a severe decline. How many years do you think it will take for the market to climb back up?
Yeah, it’s nice to say that people have to know how to manage their finances and diversify their portfolios. However, there’s the whole problem of most people don’t have the knowledge and the supposed financial analysts who lead big mutual funds have failed pretty miserably, too. Have your read about Harvard’s endowment tanking? Harvard, the country’s brain trust, has the best and brightest running its investments supposedly but Harvard has lost billions.
Depression Version 1.9–well, we aren’t fully there yet. But give the Rethugs the chance and we will. As their leader Rush Limbaugh has said, the GOP wants Obama’s attempts to heal the economy to fail. That’s their only way to win back power. PATHETIC!
GranDiva
@Guy Paul:
Yeah, pretty much. It’s not about what happens to the nation as a whole, but rather all about the whole primitivistic/tribalistic or partisan BS that has replaced civil discourse in the U.S. They’d rather crow about being right (and correct) than anything else, and the actual nation can go to hell in the proverbial handbasket in the meantime.
@Guy Paul:
True, but it’s always bugged me that the “opposition” party in any situation doesn’t ever seem to be allowed to agree with any facet of a Presidential address. It doesn’t help the appearance of that mythical “bipartisanship,” right?
What I’m really liking now, though, is that there doesn’t seem to be a conservative gay response championing Jindal for his “pro-gay stance,” either because it’s completely transparent horses**t, or because one oddly-expressed viewpoint isn’t enough to redeem him from being a complete twit otherwise.
Guy Paul
@John in CA:
Thanks, John. I do see the logic of it now. I’m probably super-sensitive to the bickering since my club always has Fox News playing in the lockerroom. Your explanation explains how something practical might be gleaned from these responses.
Guy Paul
@Guy Paul:
“explanation explains” lol … I really need to get some sleep!
Guy Paul
@GranDiva: Thanks for your response. I would prefer also that no association is made between gay support and this goofy man.
sal
@Tom in COS: LOL LOL thats true
rick
@Sebbe: you used the word drag race. the bf was watching green acres today on tvland and they had a guy on the show say that the town of hooterville could keep the kids from leaving for the city if they had drag races. oliver says drag races? and the guy replies yes, so they could see how fast the boys could run in girls clothes.
pff1029
I thought he was the Fiber One guy! Equality, no. Bigotry, yes.
Sebbe
@Guy Paul – “Fox News playing in the lockerroom” – not a good sign.
@Rick – LOL, imagine, I can’t really remember which show that is, but I have a vague picture and of the time period.
gurlene
@Sebbe: Pickaninny (also picaninny or piccaninny) is a term – generally considered derogatory – that in English usage refers to black children, or a caricature of them which is widely considered racist. It is a pidgin word form, which may be derived from the Portuguese pequenino (an affectionate term derived from pequeno (“little”).
Sorry for taking so long to get back to you but you know how it is when you did not hit the lottery and must work for a living.
Sebbe
@gurlene – No probs, I hear you. Thanks for the explanation, like I said I’ve never hear it used in the Northeast.
getreal
Pickanniny is what black children and babies were called during slavery. As in pickaninnys $100.
getreal
pickaninny
A small black child, too young to be a productive picker in the cotton field.
Looked it up here is the definition