President Obama delivered an unofficial State of the Union address Tuesday night, and so far it's received fanfare. On Ragan.com, Ian Griffin, a speechwriter in Silicon Valley, called it a “fine, workmanlike” speech.
And then there was the Republican response by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, a celebrated politician eyeing the national stage. Gov. Jindal blamed government for the nation’s current woes, and insisted government is not the answer to our problems.
So how did his speech go over? Not good, say pundits on the left (no surprise) and even some on the right.
David Brooks, a conservative-leaning columnist, told PBS’s Jim Lehrer that Jindal’s speech went “not so well.” Brooks also said this:
You know, I think Bobby Jindal is a very promising politician, and I opposed the stimulus package … but to come up at this moment in history with a stale, “government is the problem...we can’t trust the government” ... it’s just a disaster for the Republican Party. The country is in a panic now. They may not like the way the Congress passed the stimulus bill. The idea that government is going to have no role in this ... in a moment where only the Federal government is big enough to do stuff ... to just ignore all that and say government’s the problem ... corruption, earmarks, wasteful spending—it's just a form of nihilism.
Nihilism—in other words, anarchy.
Those delightful scamps at the blog Gawker had a different take on Jindal. “Bobby Jindal’s rebuttal to the president’s Congressional address tonight sounded creepily like a monologue from Kenneth the Page, 30 Rock’s bewildered hillbilly,” Ryan Tate wrote for Gawker.
Was it really as bad as Brooks and Gawker insist? Or does this have the taint of liberal media bias?
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Comments (7)
DMJLKYWHHSXJH I like it very much!
Posted by pandora bracelets | February 18, 2012 1:37 AM
Posted on February 18, 2012 01:37
When it comes to communication, Jindal comes across to me as a poser. Its not just the JV football coach southern accent-- On 60 minutes tonight Safer asked him which Indian customs/ traditions he and his wife honor in their house, and he said "not very many, really". Wrong answer dude (even if that is true). If there is anything that the GOP don't get right now, its how well Obama's GENUINE everythingness plays in the US and abroad. For Jindal to speak of his family's story-- only to diss his heritage in the next breath-- sounds like a cheap GOP knock-off. The "rising star" tag was once Obama's-- obvious proof that he has changed the game. But the GOP is in trouble and (because) Jindal comes across as phony. Pile on.
Posted by Sue | March 1, 2009 9:50 PM
Posted on March 1, 2009 21:50
ZZZZzzzzzzzz.....
Posted by Anonymous in DC | February 25, 2009 11:47 PM
Posted on February 25, 2009 23:47
Anonymous in DC
Assuming you are in DC, you know very well this is all about politics and not his speech. Particularly here on PR Junkie. I don't know how many times the topic has started on a communications angle and next thing we know we're hearing about Halliburton and evil Dick Cheney or stupid George Bush. Oh, I'm sorry. Since perception is reality, those references are now considered stone cold fact. Just as with threads like these, we (you) are shaping the perception that an intelligent man who can back up his conservative ideals with sound logic must have some fundamental flaw we can attack - got it! Let's go after his intonation! That's it.
You're as political as anyone on here, so now is not the time for you to cry foul. As for coaching, I agree with you, that could help and he will get better, but I refuse to sit back and let the "progressives" define the debate and decide when we can get poltical and when we have to focus on communications. They are definitely intermingled when the topic is a political speech.
Posted by Anonymous | February 25, 2009 9:24 PM
Posted on February 25, 2009 21:24
Good grief, Anonymous, is that the best you can do, trotting out the same old "the liberals will pile on him"?
Jindal is apparently an intelligent, capable rising star; let's give him his due. But this discussion is supposed to evaluate his delivery of a nationally televised speech. We communicators should be addressing his style, delivery and strategy as a speaker.
I'm sorry to tell you that he was not very impressive. This isn't about his politics (some of which I agree with). It's about his appearance on national television. His eye contact was good, but he looked very stiff (read: uncomfortable) and his intonation reminded me of a primary school teacher in a roomful of little children. Whatever the merits of his content, his delivery was at best mediocre.
If I were his communication advisor, I'd recommend some heavy-duty coaching (at least, for televised speeches; maybe he's better with live audiences). I'll bet he can and will do much better over the next few years. The potential is there.
An appeal to everyone: can't we put aside all the partisan political cr-p on this site? We're supposed to be discussing what it takes to communicate effectively. Let's leave the politics (on both sides) to all the other forums out there and focus here on having some serious, constructive dialogue.
Posted by Anonymous in DC | February 25, 2009 3:55 PM
Posted on February 25, 2009 15:55
David Brooks is perhaps the most conservative columnist the New York Times can stand to have on its payroll, but to call him conservative is a stretch. He's been consistently critical of conservatism and the Republicans. With that in mind, Jindal is emerging as a rising star in the Republican Party and he is a true conservative and embodies conservative ideals. He is quite personable, quite intelligent and very persuasive. Now will come the Democrat attack dogs in the party, on Capitol Hill and in the media. Unlike Sarah Palin, who connected emotionally with the base but was not intellectually up to the challenge, Jindal is dumb as a fox and will give the pundits fits over the next four years, and probably longer.
Posted by Anonymous | February 25, 2009 2:09 PM
Posted on February 25, 2009 14:09
Rachel Maddow nailed it after Jindal was done when she said: "I'm paid to speak and I'm speechless." The GOP is really floundering, grasping for straws by making Mr. Jindal (Hey, he's a person of color! Let's show America we can do that too!) the point person for the response to President Obama last night. It was a 5A varsity team v. very, very, small 2A JV team.
Posted by phyde | February 25, 2009 1:50 PM
Posted on February 25, 2009 13:50