Jim Rosica
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal took a scattershot approach in his Sunshine Summit speech Saturday, bouncing between political correctness, immigration and national security.
He first chided fellow candidate Donald Trump, however, for equating Ben Carson‘s childhood “pathological temper” to a child molester in comments to CNN.
Saying it was an “insane comment,” Jindal told the crowd, “I’m for all an exchange of ideas, (but) folks, there is a line we should not cross.”
He also called out college students at the University of Missouri for recent protests, supposedly sparked by racially charged incidents, that led to the resignation of the school president. Reporters trying to cover the protests have been blocked or harassed by campus activists.
Liberal students fail to appreciate the principles of free speech, Jindal said: “You don’t have a right not to be offended.”
He quickly added that he shouldn’t be surprised since President Obama “has taught us all to be victims.”
Turning to the thicket of immigration, Jindal — the son of Indian immigrant parents — said the American dream is “not having the government take care of you.
He told the story of his parents not having the health coverage to pay for his birth, so his father offered to write a check every month until the hospital bill was paid.
Jindal’s message to those who want to be Americans: “Come legally, learn English and when you get here, roll up your sleeves and get to work.”
Finally, he offered solidarity with the victims of the Paris attacks on late Friday and early Saturday, saying the problem isn’t Islam, but “Islam has a problem (and) the problem is radical Islam.”
“Our friends don’t trust us and our enemies … don’t fear us,” Jindal warned. “It’s time to send a message … you’ve got to kill evil terrorists before they come here and kill us first.”
Jindal’s tough talk comes amid his averaging 1 percent in national polls, with his campaign facing a “major cash crunch,” The Associated Press reported.
“His financial disclosure forms show he’s finding ways to campaign cheaply, bunking at affordable hotel chains,” the AP report said.
