COULD JINDAL BE McCAIN'S REVEREND WRIGHT?

In a rational country, the answer to that question would be yes.

At a moment when the Louisiana governor is being talked about as a possible McCain running mate, we all need to know what was reported here when he was running for governor in 2007:

...Mr. Jindal supports teaching creationism. In September 2003, the Associated Press reported his answering "yes" on the Louisiana Family Forum's voter guide as to whether he favored teaching the "scientific weaknesses of evolution" (creationist codetalk) in public schools.... When a reporter asked his position on teaching creationism, Mr. Jindal's response clearly favored undermining the teaching of evolution: "With evolution there are flaws and gaps. I think it's appropriate to tell our students that no scientific theory can prove evolution." ("Sharp questions put candidates at governor’s forum on spot," Associated Press, September 25, 2003) ...

Among Jindal's most troubling allies is Republican Religious Right operative David Barton, who calls church/state separation "a myth." Barton, who runs an organization called Wallbuilders, has used bogus quotations by the Founding Fathers to support his contention in books and videos that American government was founded on Christianity....

Journalist Frederick Clarkson reported in October 2006 that Jindal and Barton visited Baptist churches in Alexandria, Bossier City, and West Monroe. Describing these visits on Barton’s Wallbuilders Live! radio program a few days later (October 18 & 19, 2006), Jindal praised Barton's pseudo-history: "Dave did a fantastic job, went to three churches with us, just reminding us of our nation's history [and] heritage." Barton, calling Jindal a "product of what we were able to put in office in 2004" because of the "huge increase in Christian voter turnout," praised Jindal's desire to "make a difference in the culture war." ...

A heartbeat away?