It’s time to look at some of the reactions to Bobby Jindal’s official announcement of his presidential run.
Well before he took the stage in Kenner Wednesday, the so-called “spy cam video” was released. In it, Bobby and Supriya tell their kids of the decision to seek the White House.
“Okay, if we move into the White House, you can have a puppy,” Bobby tells daughter Selia.
“Can I pick out the puppy?” she asks.
The video was widely panned, with Newsweek calling it “odd and awkward”, and Rolling Stone describing it as “creepy”.
But PETA—People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—sent Bobby a letter, urging the Jindals to choose a shelter dog for the children.
Thursday’s news out of Washington, D.C., had a dampening effect on what Jindal surely planned to make a major campaign issue.
“We can repeal Obamacare and we will repeal Obamacare!” Jindal declared Wednesday, cheered by his supporters.
Less than 24 hours later, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down the King v. Burwell decision, upholding provisions of the Affordable Care Act. And President Obama declared, “The Affordable Care Act is here to stay.”
Some of the harshest reaction came in response to this part of Jindal’s speech:
“I am done with all this talk about hyphenated Americans. We are not Indian-Americans, African-Americans, Irish-Americans. We are all Americans!”
It ignited a firestorm on Twitter -- started in India, it came under the hashtag #BobbyJindalIsSoWhite.
“Bobby Jindal is so white…that he mispronounces his own name.”
“Bobby Jindal is so white…that he has to be washed separately in warm water.”
“Bobby Jindal is so white…that when asked if he’s Indian, he says, ‘Yes, I’m 1/16th Cherokee’.”
Last, but not least, when Buckwheat Zydeco found out his version of “Hey, Good Lookin’” had been among the music used by the Jindal campaign at the announcement event, he tweeted, “Using our music is not cool at all #BobbyJindal. @SenSanders using our ‘Make A Change’ to make his announcement is tres bien!”
Jindal wasted no time getting on the campaign trail, spending Thursday in New Hampshire. But he’ll be back, hosting a $2700 per person fundraiser in Baton Rouge Saturday night.