SAJAforum

POLITICS: Bobby Jindal signs creationism bill, sans Vedic Creationists

Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana is getting plenty of press this past week, not so much for his vice presidential prospects but for actual legislation he's signing. The latest bill would allow for the teaching of creationism alongside evolution. From Reuters:

The law will allow schools if they choose to use "supplemental materials" when discussing evolution but does not specify what the materials would be.

It states that authorities "shall allow ... open and objective discussion of scientific theories being studied including, but not limited to, evolution, the origins of life, global warming and human cloning."

It also says that it "shall not be construed to promote any religious doctrine, promote discrimination for or against a particular set of religious beliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion or nonreligion."

Jindal's office declined on Friday to comment. The bill was backed by the Louisiana Family Forum, a conservative Christian group, and the Discovery Institute, which promotes the theory of "intelligent design" -- a theory that maintains that the complexity of life points to a grand designer.

But Christian creationists aren't the only ones who think the curriculum needs to be opened up. One group that hasn't been cited lately is the Bhaktivedanta Institute, a "Vedic Creationism" group connected to ISKCON, which has filed amicus briefs in support of opening up the curriculum beyond Darwinian evolution. According to this opinion piece from 2006 by Meera Nanda in Frontline magazine, the forces behind Vedic Creationism are Richard Thompson and Michael Cremo, who wrote "Human Devolution: A Vedic Alternative to Darwin's Theory." From the Frontline column:

PREZ RACE: Bobby Jindal on "Face the Nation," gets Gingrich's approval

[SAJAforum sources, resources about the 2008 race]

Bobby Jindal appeared on the CBS Sunday show "Face the Nation" today, where he was billed as "The Next Reagan?": "I have the job that I want... I am focused on being governor of Louisana."

Even more interesting is what Newt Gingrich, former House speaker and Republican elder statesman had to say right after Jindal's appearance.

Chip Reid: Would you recommend to John McCain that he pick him as his running mate.
Newt Gingrich: Absolutely. I think Governor Jindal is far and away the best candidate for vice president in the country. I think he is a future presidential candidate. I think he has enormous capacity to keep growing... Look, Bobby Jindal at 37 is fully as prepared at Senator Obama. You could argue that in fact Jindal's experience in the executive branch and the legislative branch is greater than Senator Obama's experience.

Post your comments below.

Our previous Jindal-as-possible-VP items:

• Jindal and a 1994 exorcism
• NYT news story on Bobby Jindal and his agenda
• Coverage of Jindal's weekend with the McCains
• Liberal prof Vijay Prashad writes a funny letter about Bobby Jindal
• Conservative scholar says Jindal should not be on ticket - for now
• McCain to meet with Jindal, Crist, Romney
• April 2008 appearance on the Jay Leno show
• William Kristol says McCain staffers are floating McCain-Jindal ticket
• Rush Limbaugh's push for the ticket | other conservatives' similar push

BLOGOSPHERE: Jindal and Exorcism

[SAJAforum sources, resources about the 2008 race]

Amid speculations about Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal's potential candidacy as McCain's vice president, a new (and old) news about him is floating around. A blogger for Swampland, TIME magazine's blog, says Jindal might bring "interesting talents to the table - such as exorcism."

The article "Physical Dimension of Spiritual Warfare," written by Jindal in December 1994 (published in the New Oxford Review) is finding a lot of space in the blogosphere.

Excerpt from the piece:

The crucifix had a calming effect on Susan, and her sister was soon brave enough to bring a Bible to her face. At first, Susan responded to biblical pas­sages with curses and profanities. Mixed in with her vile attacks were short and desperate pleas for help. In the same breath that she attacked Christ, the Bible's authenticity, and everyone assembled in prayer, Susan would suddenly urge us to rescue her.

Read TPM Election Central's post.

...Jindal narrated a bizarre story of a personal encounter with a demon, in which he participated in an exorcism with a group of college friends. And not only did they cast out the supernatural spirit that had possessed his friend, Jindal wrote that he believes that their ritual may well have cured her cancer.

According to Swampland, this material had already come up during Jindal's run for governor. And it didn't hurt him.

Would this make any difference now? Please post your thoughts below.

Our previous Jindal-as-possible-VP items:

• NYT news story on Bobby Jindal and his agenda
• Coverage of Jindal's weekend with the McCains
• Liberal prof Vijay Prashad writes a funny letter about Bobby Jindal
• Conservative scholar says Jindal should not be on ticket - for now
• McCain to meet with Jindal, Crist, Romney
• April 2008 appearance on the Jay Leno show
• William Kristol says McCain staffers are floating McCain-Jindal ticket
• Rush Limbaugh's push for the ticket
• other conservatives' similar push

PREZ RACE: NYT news story on Bobby Jindal and his agenda

[SAJAforum sources, resources about the 2008 race]

Here's what the front page of the New York Times website looked like around noon EST today. Must be the first time that two desis who engender such mixed emotions have been featured in separate stories at the top of the site (click to magnify the screengrab).

On the right, you can see a pointer to a profile of M. Night Shyamalan, whose new movie is opening on June 13. See SAJAforum's roundup of pre-release press.

The other desi, of course, is Bobby Jindal, the governor of Louisiana, who is part of a lot of buzz about the possibility that he might be a candidate to join Senator John McCain on the Republican ticket this year.

Today, the NYT's Adam Nossiter has the piece above was the first serious assessment of Jindal's possible candidacy inside the news pages of the Times. Back in April, columnist William Kristol had floated Jindal's name in the opinion pages (see our coverage collection below). From today's piece:

Religion and fiscal stringency have a friendly home at the state Capitol here, with a conservative, Bobby Jindal, in the governor’s office, a host of straight-arrow novice legislators eager to please him and an honored spot for the Louisiana Family Forum in the old marble halls.

The newly conservative tone of state government is seeping through a host of successful bills — on school vouchers, creationism, stem-cell restrictions and tax and spending cuts — and it is adding to the speculative frenzy here surrounding Mr. Jindal as a potential vice-presidential choice for Senator John McCain.

Politicians here say they are certain that Mr. Jindal would balance a McCain ticket, and not just because he is an Indian-American. The Christian right has a new champion in Mr. Jindal, a serious Catholic who has said that “in my faith, you give 100 percent of yourself to God.”

Bumper stickers saying “Jindal for V.P.” are circulating here, with increased velocity after the governor’s stay two weekends ago at Mr. McCain’s Arizona ranch. Mr. McCain’s schedule has him campaigning in Louisiana next week, according to his Web site.

“He has everything McCain is lacking,” said State Representative John LaBruzzo, a Republican, speaking of Mr. Jindal. “He’s seen as a true conservative, which McCain is seen as less than.”

PREZ RACE: Vijay Prashad writes a funny open letter to McCain

[See SAJAforum collection of sources, resources and more about the 2008 race]

We posted an item from a conservative scholar urging Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal NOT to run this year. Nicole Gelinas of the Manhattan Institute wrote:

If McCain makes an offer to Jindal, it will probably be difficult to resist. But if McCain wants to help Louisiana recover from Hurricane Katrina, he’ll leave its new governor where he is. Jindal’s state needs him more than the nation does.

So it's only fair that we post a liberal scholar's open letter to Senator John Mccain urging him to pick Jindal. From "McCain's Got a Problem Jindal Can Fix," written with tongue lodges in cheek for NewsOne, a news site aimed at African-Americans:

Sen. McCain, like every president since 1789, you're a white guy. This time around, with the Democrats "making history" and "breaking down barriers," you're starting to look more like a throwback than a slam dunk.

Now, Bobby Jindal is a dark-skinned Indian American. His parents are Hindus from Punjab. Here's the best part: Jindal traded in his Indian name, Piyush, for Bobby, a perfectly American name popularized on The Brady Bunch. No Barack Husseins here; only Bobby, who even had the forethought to convert to Catholicism as a teenager. A Catholic Indian American named Bobby? Take that, diversity mongers!

There's more - a lot more. Take a look and post your comments below.

Our previous Jindal-as-possible-VP items:

• Coverage of Jindal's weekend with the McCains
• Conservative scholar says Jindal should not be on ticket - for now
• McCain to meet with Jindal, Crist, Romney
• April 2008 appearance on the Jay Leno show
• William Kristol says McCain staffers are floating McCain-Jindal ticket
• Rush Limbaugh's push for the ticket
• other conservatives' similar push

Coverage in the Indian press: Rediff | Times of India

PREZ RACE: A conservative says no to Jindal for VP, for now

Nicole Gelinas, a scholar with the conservative Manhattan Institute, says Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal would do more for the Republican party by staying where he is for the time being. From "Leave Jindal Alone!":

If McCain makes an offer to Jindal, it will probably be difficult to resist. But if McCain wants to help Louisiana recover from Hurricane Katrina, he’ll leave its new governor where he is. Jindal’s state needs him more than the nation does.

It’s easy to see why McCain would consider Jindal. When the 36-year-old governor came to office earlier this year, he already had an impressive record of accomplishment. As a twentysomething in former governor Mike Foster’s cabinet in the 1990s, Jindal reorganized the state’s Medicaid plan, cutting costs and transforming deficits into surpluses. He then served ably in Congress. In his first few months as governor, he has shepherded ethics reforms through the state legislature and started working on an income-tax cut and an infrastructure-investment plan. Jindal is an attractive candidate in political terms, too: he’s young (barely half McCain’s age), and he’s the son of Indian immigrants, a factor for McCain to consider as he prepares to run against either the first black or first female Democratic presidential candidate.

Gelinas says Jindal should concentrate on turning Louisiana around, and bide his time.

As for Jindal’s political future: if he wants to be vice president someday, he shouldn’t worry that this opportunity will be his last. As the nation watches Louisiana recover from Katrina, Jindal has a prominent stage on which to show that Republicans can govern competently, even as other stars in the party—including California’s Arnold Schwarzenegger—struggle to keep their promises. Four or eight years from now, Jindal will still be a young man. By then, if he’s done his job well in Louisiana, he’ll be able to point to his solid, permanent achievements as governor—and even, perhaps, skip the veep step and try for the top spot instead.

More of our Jindal coverage here:

• Coverage of Jindal's weekend at McCain's
• April 2008 appearance on the Jay Leno show
• Rush Limbaugh's push for the ticket

PREZ RACE: Coverage of Jindal's weekend at McCain's

[SAJAforum resources, sources, links for covering the 2008 Presidential race]

That's Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal and his wife, Supriya, at the airport (Phoenix or New Orleans, anyone know?) after their weekend at John McCain's home in Sedona, Arizona. He was one of three possible vice presidential running mates invited to hang out with John and Cindy McCain and various guests, including politicos, business leaders, etc. Also attending were two other possible VP candidates, Charlie Crist, governor of Florida and Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor.

The media, especially the 24-hour cable news networks (see MSNBC screengrab below), have been buzzing about the weekend, but this is just the start of the VP season, and there are plenty of other possible candidates on the shortlist, including Tim Pawlenty, the governor of Minnesota (and host of the 2008 Republican Convention in St. Paul) and Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas.

From WWL-TV's text and video report by Mike Hoss:

Following a weekend with presidential hopeful Senator John McCain, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal said he discussed a number of topics with the senator, except the possibility of being McCain’s vice presidential running mate.

“There was never any explicit talk whatsoever about a short list, about vice president, any of that,” said Jindal.

However, the governor did say he had several one on one moments with Senator McCain during his weekend trip to Arizona.

“It was a wonderful weekend,” Jindal said. “John and Cindy were very gracious. Not only did we have a chance to talk to him one on one, as well as in a group, we had a chance to visit with the other senators there, the other business leaders.”

From an analysis by Aziz Haniffa of Rediff/India Abroad, "McCain's invitation to Jindal "strategic":

PREZ RACE: McCain to meet with Jindal, Romney, Crist

[See all SAJAforum posts, resources, sources about the 2008 presidential race]

For three months now, we have been covering the possibility that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal might/perhaps/could be on the short list for potential vice presidential running mates for Sen. John McCain. The talk suddenly got taken a lot more seriously yesterday, as journalists started reporting that McCain was going to meet this weekend with three possible running mates: Jindal; Florida Governor Charlie Crist; and former Massachussetts Governor Mitt Romney. From "McCain to meet 3 possible running mates" by NYT's Adam Nagourney:

Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, on Friday is scheduled to meet with two Republican governors who have been prominently mentioned as potential running mates, according to Republicans familiar with McCain's plan.

The two governors, Charlie Crist, of Florida, and Bobby Jindal, of Louisiana, have both accepted invitations to meet with McCain at his home in Arizona, according to Republican familiars with the decision. One Republican said that Mitt Romney, a former rival of McCain for the presidential nomination wasalso expected to visit him this weekend. Romney's advisers declined to comment.

McCain, after a week of campaigning, is heading home on Friday for three days without a public schedule. His campaign declined to comment on the meetings.

"We don't talk about the V.P. selection process," said Steve Schmidt, a senior adviser.

Still, the names of McCain's visitors and the timing — coming three weeks after the Arizona senator told reporters that he had a list of 20 potential running mates — strongly suggested that he was moving into an intensified phase in his search for a vice presidential candidate.

From a similar story by the Boston Globe's Joseph Williams and Scott Helman:

PREZ HYPE: McCain staffers floating Jindal as VP

[See all SAJAforum posts, resources, sources about the 2008 presidential race]

Momentum grows for a John McCain-Bobby Jindal GOP ticket. Today, conservative New York Times columnist William Kristol considered how Republicans could lose this fall if Democrats are united, or if McCain picks a more conventional running mate, i.e., a white guy. From "McCain-Jindal?":

Maybe that’s why, in separate conversations last week, no fewer than four McCain staffers and advisers mentioned as a possible vice-presidential pick the 36-year-old Louisiana governor, Bobby Jindal. They’re tempted by the idea of picking someone so young, with real accomplishments and a strong reformist streak.

It might also be a way to confront the issue of McCain’s age (71), which private polls and focus groups suggest could be a real problem. A Jindal pick would implicitly acknowledge the questions and raise the ante. The message would be: “You want generational change? You can get it with McCain-Jindal — without risking a liberal and inexperienced Obama as commander in chief.” I would add that it was after McCain spent considerable time with Jindal in New Orleans recently, and reportedly found him, as he has before, personally engaging and intellectually impressive, that the campaign’s informal name-dropping of Jindal began.

Writing this morning in Ultrabrown, Manish Vij looks at the implications: "It’s a measure of Republican desperation that they see identity politics as a potential savior: young vs. young, brown vs. brown. The squawk boxes can’t be happy."

See our previous coverage of Bobby Jindal as a potential nominee, including a recent appearance on the Jay Leno show (video below); Rush Limbaugh's push for the ticket; other conservatives' similar push. Post your comments below.

PREZ RACE: Bobby Jindal to appear on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show"

[See SAJAforum resources on covering the 2008 presidential elections]

We have written previously about the buzz about the possibility perhaps/maybe/could be that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is being considered as a running mate for John McCain.

First, we wrote about In February that Rush Limbaugh floated the idea of Louisana governor Bobby Jindal being Senator McCain's running mate, calling him "the next Ronald Reagan." Then, we wrote in March that other conservatives were floating his name, including in a piece called "How McCCain can win the base," the opening sentence was, "This is a time for someone whom everybody knows to be the rising star of the GOP, the new governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal."

Now comes the most mainstream push for Jindal's name, from that all-powerful political entity, the PR department of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."

Amidst the growing buzz about possibly being the Vice Presidential candidate on the Republican ticket, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal makes his first appearance on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (Monday - Friday, 11:35 p.m.-12:37 a.m. ET on NBC).

Known to his constituents as simply Governor Bobby, Jindal is the Nation's youngest Governor at the age of 36 and in his first term in office the political pundits have already labeled him the future of the GOP and the next Ronald Regan.  Jindal is the first elected Indian American Governor in U.S. history.

Among politicians who have announced their candidacy on the "Tonight Show": Arnold Schwarzenegger, during his successful run for governor of California in 2003; and Fred Thompson, during his unsuccessful run for the Republican nomination for this year. [See also today's piece in the New York Times by Alessandra Staley about politicians showing up on various comedy and game shows: "...pop TV  is the antidote, a free platform to rub shoulders with viewers who only glancingly pay attention to the news."]

UPDATE: Here's coverage of the appearance (from the AP):

Gov. Bobby Jindal touted Louisiana's hurricane recovery efforts and tossed aside rumors he could be a possible running mate for Republican presidential contender John McCain during an appearance tonight on NBC's "Tonight Show."Host Jay Leno introduced Jindal, 36, as the youngest governor in the country and as a possible vice presidential contender.For his final question, Leno noted McCain's trip to Louisiana last week and asked whether Jindal was flattered to be mentioned as a potential running mate.Jindal replied, "It's flattering, but I like the job I've got now." He reiterated plans to run for re-election.Leno also asked the governor about his Indian heritage and Jindal discussed recent changes to the state's ethics laws, while Leno talked of Louisiana's corrupt reputation.

Here's the video:

The full NBC press release is below. Post your comments, please. [See previous SAJAforum coverage of Bobby Jindal]

PREZ RACE: Some conservatives continue to push for Jindal as VP

[SAJAforum resources, sources and more for the 2008 race for president]

In February, Rush Limbaugh floated the idea of Louisana governor Bobby Jindal being Senator McCain's running mate, calling him "the next Ronald Reagan." That lead to this Wolf Blitzer interview on CNN:

Since then, I have seen Jindal's name mentioned on some possible shortlists, but no overwhelming push for him. Earlier this week, Manish Vij of Ultrabrown, pointed out, the editorial side of WSJ.com re-ran an article from  conservative mag, American Spectator on this idea. From the piece, "How McCain can win the base," by James P. Lucier:

This is a time for someone whom everybody knows to be the rising star of the GOP, the new governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal.

And what a governor! Sworn as Governor in January, after winning 54 percent of the vote in the open-field primary, Jindal immediately called a special session of the legislature and persuaded them to pass his 64-point agenda for ethics reform. They said ethics reform couldn't be done in Louisiana -- a state whose reputation as a cesspool is legendary -- but he did it in a two-week session. Now he's calling a second special session to pass the tax cuts necessary to jump-start the post-Katrina economy in his state.

DO SOME PEOPLE THINK that McCain is too old at 71? The Constitution does require a back-up, no matter how old the President. Jindal can balance the ticket. At 36, he has the accomplishments you would expect at 47. Obama, at 47, has the accomplishments you would expect at 36. Jindal more than meets the Constitutional age requirements if he were to succeed to the Presidency, and has more executive and legislative experience than the two Democrats combined. His nomination would convince the rising generation that there's hope for the young.
<snip>

The final question: What does he know about terrorism? Well, when he was a congressman from the First District of Louisiana he voted against a $6.5 billion aid bill for post-Katrina restoration because it included the Democrats' poison-pill for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq.

Even beyond that, he surely could not be ignorant of his own ethnic heritage, even though he was born in the United States.

PREZ POLITICS: Limbaugh says Jindal should be McCain's VP

Rush Limbaugh has loudly and relentlessly opposed John McCain's presidential candidacy - not conservative enough for his tastes. But there's hope yet. Recently, the talk show king discussed vice presidential possibilities to be paired with McCain, and the name that got him downright giddy was Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (thanks to Manish Vij). He called Jindal "the next Ronald Reagan."

From the Feb. 8 transcript:

"I'll tell you.... I'm going to give you a name that would make me jump for joy.  It's not going to happen because he's not been...

Bobby Jindal. I did an interview with Bobby Jindal. He is the next Ronald Reagan, if he doesn't change. Bobby Jindal, the new governor of Louisiana is the next Ronald Reagan.  He's young. He was just sworn in for his first term. He's the guy that beat the liberal Democrat machine throughout Louisiana. He did it on 100% conservatism.  We interviewed him for The Limbaugh Letter about three issues ago. In fact, I am hereby ordering the editrix of The Limbaugh Letter, Diana Schneider to make -- since it's a past issue -- the interview with Bobby Jindal in The Limbaugh Letter available at RushLimbaugh.com this afternoon.  You can send it up to Koko as a PDF file or text or whatever you want.  This guy could be the next Ronald Reagan.  If McCain chose him, here's a Southern state; this is Louisiana, but I think he may be too conservative for McCain.  That depends on who they think McCain will need or want, but Jindal is very young, and he's only in his first year as governor and doesn't really have... He came from the House of Representatives.

Lower down on the transcript there's a link to a pdf version of an interview Rush did with Jindal, after he won the gubernatorial election. Rush told Jindal "your campaign is the model for Republican victory. I believe conservatism wins every time it's tried when it's campaigned properly, presented properly, taught properly."

Towards the end of the interview, Rush says, "This has been fabulous. You have been one of the most intriguing interviews I have had for this newsletter in a long time. You're an amazing speaker." And then: "I know that your humility probably doesn't extend to remarking at whether or not your election is a bellwether, but those of us out here who observe and comment are certainly going to try to make it such, because you have just re-established the Reagan model for people to follow, if they'll just have the courage to do it, and I [clapping] applaud you."

Check out earlier SAJAforum coverage of Bobby Jindal.

SPORTS: Daniel Chopra wins season-opener on PGA Tour

I have always thought that it's a sign that South Asians have truly arrived in the U.S. when we make appearances in ALL parts of the news, not just the international pages about goings-on in the subcontinent. Our showing up in the business pages, the government pages, the sports pages - and yes, the crime pages, are all part of our becoming part of the American landscape.

In recent days, we have had our share of appearances in the crime pages - Man accused in "abortion cocktail" case disappears; and Man accused of setting fire that kills pregnant daughter, son-in-law and grandson- are two examples.

In business, one of the biggest stories today is the trouble facing Citigroup, and the new CEO brought in to fix it, Vikram Pandit.

In government, yesterday was the inauguration of Bobby Jindal as governor of Louisiana.

For sports, however, I didn't have anything till I was reminded that Daniel Chopra had one this year's opening tournament of the season on the PGA Tour, the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii.

From AP's coverage of the victory by Chopra, a 25-year-old Swede whose father is in Indian:

The token that Daniel Chopra uses to mark his ball on the green was given to him a few years ago in Japan with an inscription that reads, "Fortune favors the brave."

His wild playoff victory Sunday in the Mercedes-Benz Championship was more about perseverance.

And that ball mark sure didn't do any favors for Steve Stricker.

POLITICS: Bobby Jindal sworn in as governor of Louisiana

Bobby Jindal, 36, was sworn in as Louisiana's governor today, and the event has been covered across the world. From the Christian Science Monitor, "Coup in the Bayou: New Governor Jindal Promises Change in Lousiana":

Little is ordinary about Louisiana's new governor, Piyush "Bobby" Jindal. He's the nation's youngest governor, the first whose parents are from India, and his state's first nonwhite chief executive since Reconstruction. A convert from Hinduism to Catholicism, he likes fast food and rises early – like 3 a.m. – to lift weights.

But all that pales in comparison to the extraordinary task he's promised to undertake: cleaning up a state government widely considered one of the most corruption-prone in America. Perhaps equally extraordinary: Some political observers say he can do it. Governor Jindal was inaugurated here in Baton Rouge Monday amid the booms of a 19-cannon salute and a children's choir singing "The Crawdad Song."

Jindal succeeded Democrat Kathleen Blanco, whose reputation took a beating in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. From the AP:

Blanco attended the inaugural ceremonies with three other former Louisiana governors. The state's only other living ex-governor is Edwin Edwards, who could not attend because he is serving a federal prison sentence on corruption charges. Jindal, a second-term member of Congress when he was elected, said he will call the state Legislature into a special session beginning Feb. 10 to tackle the centerpiece of his campaign: strengthening Louisiana's ethics laws.

The AP article notes that Jindal is not in fact the first Indian to become governor.

The country's first Indian governor was New Jersey's transportation commissioner, Kris Kolluri, who held the post for 24 hours in 2006 when his boss was out of town. New Jersey law requires an acting governor to be appointed when the elected governor is away from the state.

MSNBC paints an optimistic picture, saying he's a "fresh face" and "starting off with a clean slate, and even his detractors seem willing to give him a shot." From "High Hopes for Jindal in Troubled Louisiana":

Jindal's parents immigrated to Louisiana in the early 1970s, settling in Baton Rouge, where the new governor was born. His given name is Piyush, but as a youngster he asked his family to call him "Bobby," picking that up from watching "The Brady Bunch" on television.

CRIME: Two Indian Students Killed in Louisiana

Two Indian Ph.D. students at Louisiana State University were shot dead in one of their apartments yesterday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Chandrasekhar Reddy Komma (born 1974 in Hyderabad) and Kiran Kumar Allam (born 1976 in Kurnool), were married men and funds are being raised to support their spouses.

From the AP report:

Two students were found shot to death in an apparent home invasion at a Louisiana State University apartment, and officials decided to keep the campus open Friday while police searched for three suspects.

The victims, Chandrasekhar Reddy Komma and Kiran Kumar Allam, both international Ph.D. students, were found inside an apartment at the Edward Gay complex late Thursday night after authorities received a call seeking medical attention.

Both men had been shot once in the head, said Charles Zewe, an LSU system spokesman. Three men were seen leaving the area, and police were searching for them.
<snip>
The killings were the first homicides on the campus since the early 1990s, said Kristine Calongne, another university spokesperson.

[The Complex described above is for married students. Komma was visiting Allam's apartment, where they were both killed.]

The 911 call came in at 10:37 pm on Thursday. In a press conference today, President Sean O'Keefe hinted that this may not have been a random act. From 2theadvocate.com, where you can see a video of his press conference (print story, video clip):

While a joint team of LSU and Baton Rouge police officers are still investigating the motive for the killings, O’Keefe said the men “appeared to be targeted for reasons unknown.”

“This does not appear to be a random event,” O’Keefe said.

No arrests have been made.

Asked about a reported 2006 incident in which a chemistry student threatened one of the victims, LSU Police Maj. Lawrence Rabalais said that is one thing investigators are looking into. Rabalais said he wasn’t sure which of the victims was involved.

On LSU's official news site, there's info about an Indian Student Association memorial tonight and efforts to raise funds for the victims' families.

The LSU Foundation has established the Komma & Allam Support Fund to assist the students' families. To contribute to the fund, donors should make checks payable to the LSU Foundation, 3838 West Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808. For more information on the fund, call 225-578-3811.

There are 330 other Indian students at LSU:

During the fall 2007 semester, LSU had a total of 1,468 international students enrolled at LSU, 332 of whom were from India. That 332 represents the largest group of international students from a single country at LSU this fall. LSU's total student enrollment for the fall semester was 28,019.

As we learn more about this story, we will post it here. PLEASE HELP US COVER THIS! Please post links, updates, comments below or e-mail saja[at]columbia.edu

If you find links, info in the Indian press, let us know, too. Also, anyone know the timeline for when Bobby Jindal takes over at the Louisiana governor's mansion, which is also in Baton Rouge?

LISTS: One Desi Makes UK Telegraph's Lists of Top 100 US Conservatives & Top 100 US Liberals

London's Telegraph is running an article listing the 100 most influential U.S. conservatives and 100 most influential U.S. liberals (Rudy Giuliani and Bill Clinton were #1, respectively, on each list). Only one South Asian made the list: Bobby Jindal, at #61 on the conservative side:

61. BOBBY JINDAL 
Governor-elect of Louisiana

After his recent election victory, Congressman Jindal will become the first Indian-American to lead a state and, at 36, the youngest governor in the US. An orthodox conservative, he is the first non-white governor of the southern state. Was elected on a platform of attracting investment and ending corruption in what remains one of the union’s poorest states.

The son of immigrants from India who settled in Baton Rouge, his career in public service in the state has been meteoric, and first ran for governor at age 32 and was narrowly defeated. After his win in the Katrina-ravaged state, some Republicans view him as the party’s Barack Obama.

I have no doubt that Jindal needs to be on the list, but I am surprised other desis didn't make either list.

Let's come up with names of folks who belong on a similar list. Post your suggestions below.

A couple of names to start you off, add your own in the comments section:

• Dinesh D'Souza
• Ramesh Ponnuru
• Fareed Zakaria

What say you? Post your comments below.

EARLIER ON SAJAforum: See all Bobby Jindal postings.

JINDAL: The Day After and The Day After The Day After

As of 1 p.m. New York time on Monday, about 36 hours after Bobby Jindal's election victory, here are excerpts from the list of NYT's most e-mailed stories:

10. NATIONAL | October 22, 2007
Man In the News: A Son of Immigrants Rises in a Southern State
By ADAM NOSSITER
Bobby Jindal will be the nation’s first Indian-American governor in a state where race is inseparable from politics.

11. NATIONAL | October 21, 2007
Indian-American Elected Louisiana’s Governor
By ADAM NOSSITER
Bobby Jindal, a conservative Republican congressman from the New Orleans suburbs, inherits a state that was suffering well before Hurricane Katrina.

That "Man in the News" item is on the front-page of the paper, along with a photo of Jindal with his wife and one of their three kids. Here's how it begins:

NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 21 — The first words from Bobby Jindal to his supporters after he won the Louisiana governor’s race on Saturday night were not about his victory, but L.S.U.’s triumph over Auburn the same day.

Bobby Jindal, the son of immigrant parents, celebrated his election on Saturday after campaigning as a conservative candidate with a résumé steeped in public policy and a sterling education.

The message could not have been clearer: I’m one of you, a normal, red-blooded football-loving Louisiana guy. It is a theme that seems to have informed the youthful Republican congressman’s every step, from his decision at age 4 to jettison his given name of Piyush for that of a character in the television series “The Brady Bunch” to the attentive faith-infused courting of conservatives that led to his victory on Saturday with 54 percent of the vote.

Mr. Jindal’s efforts only highlight, though, what is glaringly obvious to anyone who sees and hears the slight 36-year-old son of immigrants from India. He is a highly unusual politician, having become the nation’s first Indian-American governor in a Southern state where race is inseparable from politics.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post went with an AP story, "La. Gov-Elect Wants to End Corruption," by Melissa Deslatte.

Over at SepiaMutiny (where Amardeep's "Torn About Jindal" posting drew lots of attention there and here at SAJAforum), Anna new posting on Jindal, "Bobby Makes History," has generated plenty of comments (390+, last I checked).

JINDAL: Roundup of Newspaper Front Pages

I like looking at newspaper front pages to compare how they cover landmark news events. The Bobby Jindal victory is, of course, big news in the Louisiana papers and a roundup is below. The story is covered widely in the national press, too, but happened too late on Saturday night to make the front pages of the WashPost (Jindal Wins Louisiana Race, Becomes First Indian American Governor by Peter Whoriskey) and NYT (Indian-American Elected Governor of Louisiana by Adam Nossiter). Newspapers from India are also below.

Here is how the New Orleans Times-Picayune played the Jindal victory (if you prefer a PDF version, see this PDF). Other papers are below; click on any image to see the full version.

Of the various papers here, the TP is one of only two that put Jindal's race in the sub head: "He's nation's first governor of Indian descent." The Shreveport Times: "Republican elected outright to become nation's first Indian-American governor."

See all the pages by scrolling below and post your thoughts in the comments section.

EARLIER ON SAJAforum:

• The World Reacts to the Victory (Oct. 21, 2007)
• Live Blogging the Results (Oct. 20, 2007)
• Election Day in Louisiana (Oct. 20, 2007)
• Bobby Jindal's Guv Bid in NYT (Oct. 19, 2007)
• Are Democrats Playing the Race Card With Bobby Jindal (Jan 31, 2007)

JINDAL: The World Reacts to the Victory

Bobby Jindal, 36, makes history, becoming the first South Asian American governor of a U.S. state, winning the Louisiana election a few minutes ago. I have been live blogging the event at SAJAforum and you can see how the results trickled in over the last hour or so at http://www.sajaforum.org/2007/10/jindal-live-blo.html.

The son of Indian immigrants, he lost the governor's race in 2003, then became the first Indian elected to Congress in 2004 and was re-elected in 2006. As a conservative Republican who converted to Catholocism as a teenager, he hasn't received the support of all South Asians in the U.S. See my earlier post on Saturday, Bobby Jindal's Big Day, which talked about some of the attitudes toward him in the South Asian community.

More reactions from around the world coming here... See roundup of front pages. Post your comments below.

• Here's an in-depth story from Sunday, a full day after his win: "Governor-Elect Tackles Louisiana's Image," by Melinda Deslatte (Oct. 21, 11:55 p.m.)

• From the Indian American Leadership Initiative, a leading Democratic organization among Indian Americans:

(arrived 12:01 a.m. Oct. 21)

Contact: Jay Chaudhuri, President, IALI
Phone: (919) 423-5281 (cell)                                                                                    
www.ialeadership.com

Jay Chaudhuri, President of the Indian American Leadership Initiative issued the following statement regarding Governor-Elect Bobby Jindal's victory.

"Tonight, Bobby Jindal replaces the Mardi Gras Indians as the best known Indian from Louisiana. We congratulate him for providing Indian-Americans a seat of the table. The test over the next four years is whether he is the right person for the seat. We hope that Governor Jindal proceeds with caution on social policies such as mandatory prayer in school which will be troubling to many Indian-Americans."

From NYTimes.com (click to magnify the screen grab): Indian-American Wins Vote to be Louisiana's Governor.

Bobby Jindal, a conservative Republican congressman from the New Orleans suburbs and the son of immigrants from India, was elected Louisiana’s governor Saturday, inheriting a state that was suffering well before Hurricane Katrina left lingering scars two years ago.

From NOLA.com, the site of the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

Louisiana voters chose Bobby Jindal to be their next governor Saturday, handing the 36-year-old Republican wunderkind an electoral prize that eluded him four years ago after a low-key race yielded a historic victory.

JINDAL: Live Blogging the Election Results

[Scroll down for reverse chronology of Jindal's victory]

11:57: The screen says "Governor-Elect"

11:55: Camera switches to Jindal HQ. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, Louisiana. Folks: I have got a great idea. Let's give our homeland, our great state of Louisiana a fresh start. <snip> "As anyone who knows me knows, there's no Bobby without Supriya."

11:54 pm: Opponent Boasso concedes.

11:53 pm: Anchor says: Jindal is making history. He's necoming governor-elect for the first time after the open primary.

11:48 pm: The results so far...

11:30: The results so far...

POLITICS: Bobby Jindal's Big Day - Election Day in Louisiana

It's election day in Louisiana and voters have an opportunity to pick a governor for the first time since the devastation of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. And among the several candidates is Bobby Jindal, who is leading in the pre-election opinion polls (that's a photo from earlier in the week as he did the last of his campaigning). A current Republican Congressman (first elected in 2004 and re-elected last year), he has to win more than 50 percent of the vote to avoid a run-off among two top vote-getters. See yesterday's detailed story in the NYT about Jindal's chances. In 2003, he first ran for governor and lost that race, ensuring he was not in office when Katrina hit.

The polls opened at 6 a.m. and close at 8 p.m., so we should know soon after that how things turn out.

As someone who has watched Jindal at work since he was a political wunderkind making national news more than 10 years ago, I am paying close attention to this race. It's also fascinating to see how Jindal is treated by various ethnic groups - white, black (see the NYT story for those two races) - and his own South Asian people - across the country. I am especially amused to see people who usually disagree with each other, such as pro-Hindutva folks and ultra-liberals, agree on their dislike for Jindal.

I think no matter how people feel about him, his politics, his religion, etc., this is a fascinating story and well worth watching. A South Asian candidate with a second,  serious shot at governor of a southern state - any state, actually - is something I never expected to see.

Blogging at SepiaMutiny, Amardeep Singh captures the desi angle well in post entitled "Torn About Bobby Jindal."

If Jindal wins, his victory will suggest to me he’s somehow overcome both sides of the immigrant’s anxiety syndrome: the part that comes from others’ mistrust, and also the part that comes from himself — his own sense of being something different, something other than a “normal” American, or in this case, a representative Louisianan. If he wins, I won’t cheer, but I will, I expect, quietly feel a certain sense of pride at his accomplishment despite my strong disagreement with his kind of politics. Not just because he’s a fellow desi — it’s actually more complex than that. Rather, the pride will be because he’s a fellow desi who’s evidently achieved, after a struggle, something I’ve long aspired to do: shake that dude’s hand.

Read the post and the 160+ comments to get a sense of the wide range of nerves Jindal touches within the community.

Meanwhile: Here's what the editorial page of the New Orleans Times-Picayune had to say as it endorsed him in a lengthy item:

His energy and innovative approach to government are refreshing, as is his instinct for efficiency, business- friendly measures and job creation. And his ability to dig into the nitty-gritty work of government is impressive.

But it's Mr. Jindal's intangible qualities that give shape to a leader: a sense of purpose, a strong ethical compass and a passion to make our state a better place.

Bobby Jindal is our unequivocal choice at this crucial moment in Louisiana's history.

According to BobbyJindal.com, several other papers have endorsed him as well:

On Sunday, the Shreveport Times, the Monroe News Star, the Alexandria Town Talk, Crowley Post Signal, Abbeville Meridional, Euince News and Ville Platte Gazette all endorsed Bobby Jindal for Governor. The papers join a long list of newspaper endorsements for Jindal including previous endorsements from Louisiana Farm and Ranch Magazine, the St. Charles Herald, Gambit Weekly, the Baton Rouge Business Report, Ouachita Citizen, Louisiana Sportsman, Houma News Courier and the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Here are some stats from the site:

Jindal Stats
Total doors walked     2,221,794
Total phone calls made     896,067
MySpace Friends     2,018
Facebook Friends     1,745

Earlier on SAJAforum:

• Bobby Jindal's Guv Bid in NYT
• Are Democrats playing the race card with Bobby Jindal?

Elsewhere:

• Bloomberg: "Louisiana favors Jindal in first post-Katrina Governor's race"
• AFP: "Son of Punjabi immigrants could soon govern Louisiana"
• AP: "Jindal skips DC vote on children's health bill"

What do you think? Post your comments below.