A Desi President is looking plausible as early as ’12. I think Jindal is better positioned to become president than Obama for all the obvious reasons (he’s a brown guy that won’t have to court far left segments of minority communities during the primaries). I’m surprised Jindal remains such an outlier though in terms of Desi Americans mounting credible bids for offices that are stepping stones to the presidency.

I would disagree. I think he has far less of a chance than Obama. He has yet to win the gubernatorial race, after all, and his fundraising machine is pretty limp compared to other Republican frontrunners in the ’08 election.

That, and I don’t think he plays as well with minorities as you say.

Finally, I plain just don’t like the guy. He’s disingenuous, his politics are just this side of absurd, and he’ll say practically anything to get elected. I know that doesn’t carry much weight in the big picture, but if he ever declares his candidacy, wait until you see the email campaign I’ll wage on his ass.

Shock and awe, that’s all I have to say.

I grew up in La. as well, and don’t believe it’s any more (or less) racist than much of the South, or many places in the US in general. Having said that, I think a nontrivial percentage of voters are unwilling to vote for a non-white candidate when it’s time to pull the lever (I think that will affect Obama as well, if he gets that far).

But Jindal’s chances just got a lot better with Breaux’s withdrawal. More power to him, not just for the brown angle, but at least he knows something about economic development – the one thing Louisiana needs more than anything else.

Furthermore, Jindal’s track record in Congress has been pretty productive and frankly pragmatic, despite his rhetoric.

I don’t know if Jindal is presidential material, but I do know that Louisiana needs help and I think the people are ready to try something new. The racists and the moderates, at least.

Oh and there were these guys named Mike Foster, Buddy Roemer, and Huey Long..all of who do not have the last names of Morial, Edwards, and Landrieu (Morials are done).

but you get the idea.

the idea that Jindal would not only win but really and truly have the support of the people of Louisiana (not to mention the smoky back rooms of the FAMOUSLY corrupt Louisiana political machine) is almost as laughable as the idea of free and open elections in North Korea next year.

the fact that Jindal is as insanely right wing as many of those who will see his last name (among MANY other superficial things) helps, but at the end of the day, he’s a prop of the Republicans. which is a great way to get a post in the House, but not such a great way to get into anything that will give you any real power.

in Illinois or New York or Kansas or some state where the political apparatus actually functions according to how it looks on paper, he would have a chance. but in Louisiana, if your name isn’t Landrieu, Edwards, or Morial, and/or you haven’t spent at least 30 years currying the right kind of political favor, you are NOT going to be Governor. even Blanco was an absolute shock. and look how that’s turned out.