The people want a president just like me, Lousiana Gov. Bobby Jindal explained Wednesday morning. Though he’s not in the race yet, Jindal wasn’t shy about making a case that he has what this country needs.
“We need a president who wants to do something, not just be somebody,” Jindal said on Fox & Friends. He touted the policy proposals he’s been releasing for months on various issues, adding, “I’m surprised others aren’t doing that.”
Jindal became the latest Republican to draw clear parallels between himself and the ideal presidential candidate. “I do think our nominee should be a reform minded, conservative governor with a proven track record,” he said in a thinly-veiled pitch Wednesday morning.
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“What people want to hear is a candidate that’s going to say, ‘I’m going to take on the threat of radical Islamic terrorism. Forget the political correctness.’ We need a candidate that says, ‘I’m going to cut the size of government,’ not just slow down the rate of the growth, actually balance the budget,” Jindal said.
He continued: “We need a candidate that says, ‘I’m going to get rid of all of Obamacare.’ Some of the Republicans are already saying I’ll keep some of the tax increases, some of the spending, we don’t need to keep any of it.”
Jindal’s words on Obamacare echoed those of Ted Cruz, the first official candidate in the 2016 race for president. During his first speech after announcing his presidential bid on Monday, the Texas senator vowed to repeal “every word” of the Affordable Care Act — the very same legislation that will soon provide his family with health insurance coverage.
While Cruz was the first off the starting block for the 2016 race, sources said Jindal’s delay is tied to his state’s current budget crisis. They explained that he wants to settle Louisiana’s $1.6 billion budget gap before he jumps into the race. That way he can declare his fiscal policies a success when he launches his campaign. It’s an idea the governor hinted at on Wednesday, saying he will make his decision on the race after the current legislative session ends on June 11.
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Jindal argued that Americans want someone who can stand up to the media, too — and made the case that’s what he can do.
“When you do speak the truth, the reality is the media pushes back on you,” he said. “So when I talk specifically about the threat of radical Islamic terrorism, they said I was racist. When I did a Christian event called ‘The Response’ for people in Louisiana to come together, to pray for our country, the media tried to criticize me. When I stood up for Phil Robertson, when he used his free-speech rights, the media comes at you as conservatives we need to stand our ground.”
Jane Timm