Fox News Channel "Hannity & Colmes" Interview - Transcript

MR. HANNITY: We're just 84 days away from Election Day, and we still don't know who the vice presidential candidates are for either nominee. But with the DNC convention just 13 days away, many suspect an announcement could be coming any day now. Now joining us is a man rumored to be on John McCain's VP list. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal is back with us.

Governor, how are you?

GOV. JINDAL: Sean, Alan, it's great to be on the air with you. Thank you for having me.

MR. HANNITY: Good job! You didn't give in to that pay raise for those politicians. I thought you were weakening there, and you hung in there. Congratulations.

GOV. JINDAL: Well, thank you. They tried to double their pay. It was the wrong thing. You know, we need to be focused on raising the taxpayer's pay, not the elected official's pay. I don't think any pay raise should go into effect until after the next election. Politicians need to stop worrying about their own pay.

MR. HANNITY: I wish I could give myself a pay raise. Oh, I think I'll just double my pay today.

GOV. JINDAL: (Laughs.)

MR. HANNITY: But anyway, listen, welcome back to the program. All right, I know you've said publicly that you were taking yourself out of the running to be John McCain's vice presidential running mate. Were you being vetted? And how far did the process go before you made that decision?

GOV. JINDAL: Well, look, I don't want to talk about their processes. The McCain folks have made it very clear they don't want any speculation about their whole process. But I've made it very clear in every private and public conversation, I've made it clear I've got the job that I want, don't want to be VP. I'm not going to be VP. I'm not going to be the nominee. When I campaigned to be governor of Louisiana, I told the folks in Louisiana this was a once- in-a-lifetime opportunity to change our state. I'm where I need to be. And I want to help Senator McCain get elected. I'll do that as governor. We've cut six taxes. We've got some of the nation's toughest ethics laws. But we've got a lot more work to do here in Louisiana.

MR. HANNITY: I gotta tell you something, Governor. Boy, I've heard Rush Limbaugh say it, I've heard Newt Gingrich say it. I've been very impressed with the fact that you've got these new, creative, innovative, conservative, you know, limited-government ideas. A lot of people are now looking to you as a rising star in the Republican Party and a potential savior of Reagan conservatism. That's a pretty tough mantle to carry, don't you think?

GOV. JINDAL: Well, Sean, first of all, that's extremely kind. I think one of the best compliments you can pay any elected official is put their name in the same sentence as President Reagan. I think that when you look at what's gotten our party off track, why we lost the majority in Congress is basically the American people fired the Republican majority with cause. We became a party that defended out- of-control spending, we defended corruption and earmarks, things that we never would have tolerated in the other party. And we stopped being the party of ideas and innovation. And what we're doing in Louisiana is showing that conservative principles work.

MR. HANNITY: Right. I agree, and I think the Republican Party abandoned their conservative principles, and they got off track, although I see a new energy emerging, especially on the issue of energy and drilling and so on and so forth. I think some of the Republicans are getting it because they're hearing from their conservative constituents. Let me ask you this. Who then would be a good choice for John McCain for his VP?

GOV. JINDAL: Well, I think the only thing Senator McCain should think about is who does he truly trust to be president if, God forbid, that should happen. I think he should ignore all the political considerations, geographic. You know, there are all these outside groups trying to say --

MR. HANNITY: Well, give me three names.

MR. COLMES: Sean Hannity.

GOV. JINDAL: (Laughs.) That's right, Sean Hannity.

(Cross talk.)

Let him make that decision, but I will say this. I mean, I'm biased. I think a governor would be a great choice. Look, he's got several folks he can choose from.

Sean, if he asks you, don't take it. I think you've got a greater impact where you are now. I think you need to stay on the show.

MR. HOLMES: He wouldn't take the pay cut, Governor. I think that would be a big problem for him.

MR. HANNITY: (Laughs.) I am not under consideration. What do you think? Romney? Pawlenty? Any of those?

MR. HOLMES: He wouldn't take the pay cut because he loves paying all the taxes he's paying now. That's one reason.

MR. HANNITY: I love it!

GOV. JINDAL: (Laughs.)

MR. HOLMES: Well, let me ask you this. What's John McCain's biggest weakness?

GOV. JINDAL: Well, you know, I think that when you look at the contrast between him and Senator Obama, let's be honest, Senator Obama is an incredible speaker. He inspires people. That's an important job, part of the job of being president. I don't think Senator McCain has that same talent. On the other hand, where I think Senator McCain's greatest strength is he's willing to stand up on principle against his party, against popular opinion. I'd like to see Senator Obama take some more dangerous or bolder, principled positions where he goes against his base and says, look, forget the political consequences, this is what I think is the right thing to do. But Senator Obama is a very gifted speaker.

MR. HOLMES: Well, you know, I remember John McCain used to stand up against his party. That's John McCain 1.0. John McCain 2.0 has reversed many of those positions. Where is the current John McCain standing up against his party?

GOV. JINDAL: Well, Alan, you look at Senator McCain's track record being against earmark spending when it wasn't popular in Washington, being for the re-importation of generic drugs, his stands on immigration, stands on many, many issues. I'm not even going to always agree with him on all of his positions --

MR. HOLMES: He's changed on immigration.

GOV. JINDAL: -- his stands on global warming. Time after time, he's stood up to his party, stood up to his president. He was one of the first voices for the surge in Iraq, even when the president wasn't advocating that. I've not always agreed with his positions, but I respect the fact that he's stood on what he thought was right for his country, not for his party.

MR. HOLMES: We have a moment left. Just a few years after Katrina, are you happy with the progress that's been made?

GOV. JINDAL: No, and I don't think anybody should be. But I think there are signs of optimism. I think that certainly the faith- based, not-for-profit groups are doing a great job. We are now building -- we should have the most modern healthcare delivery system in New Orleans. We're building better public housing, better schools. We've got school choice for many low-income students, charter schools. So there are many good things happening.

MR. HOLMES: Why hasn't more been done up until now to solve these problems?

GOV. JINDAL: Too much bureaucracy, too much government red tape. But again, the glass is also half full. There's more challenges, but there are many good things happening on the ground.

MR. HOLMES: Governor, thanks for being on the show. Appreciate it very much.

GOV. JINDAL: Thank you, both.

END.

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