Florida Governor Charlie Crist and former presidential hopeful and ex-Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney have also accepted invitations, fueling speculation that the three (Jindal, Crist, Romney) are the McCain campaign's top choices, and that this weekend's discussions will go a long way in determining who gets the nod.
A month ago, Jindal, who last November was elected as America's first Indian-American governor, denied any interest in the position. Of course, this most recent news seems to fly in the face of his earlier claims; but perhaps the move has long been in the cards.
Jindal is the Republican's 'dream candidate' and 'future superstar' for a number of reasons. And in this upcoming race, it may be particularly so.
First, his age (he will turn 37 on June 10), he tempers concerns that McCain is an old codger (if he is elected this November, the Arizona senator will be the oldest man ever to be America's president), out of touch with a rapidly changing and increasingly global world. Furthermore, as the son of immigrants and a minority himself, he will give the Republicans some credence in the eyes of non-white voters; the party notoriously struggles to usurp some of the minority vote from Democrats. Given likely Democratic candidate Barack Obama's bi-racial heritage, this element is doubly important.
Finally, Jindal -- a former Hindu who converted to Roman Catholicism when he was a teenager -- speaks the language of rural whites, social conservatives and born-again
He trounced three others in the 2006 Louisiana governor's race, running on a platform that opposed human embryonic stem cell research and abortion in any form, denounced gun-control legislation, favoured the teaching of 'intelligent design' in schools as an alternative to evolution, and unabashedly asserted an overall commitment to the so-called Religious Right.
Jindal's approval ratings are sky-high across the South, and his ultimate entry into national politics is considered a matter of when, not if.
Now may be the perfect opportunity, with parts of rural White America disenchanted with both Obama -- who is seen as a liberal elitist -- and McCain -- who is seen as not a 'true' conservative. Jindal would potentially bring back into the fold the staunchest social conservatives while simultaneously denting Obama's novelty as a minority candidate.
Jindal's only apprehension may be that should McCain lose, he may have unnecessarily stunted his own political ambitions, for voters might in the future see him as unelectable on a national stage.
The McCain campaign has been tight-lipped about the vice-presidential selection process, and this weekend's meeting proves no different. A senior staffer told The New York Times that the meeting will not involve interviews, but rather will be an informal affair, designed to allow the temperamental senator to freely interact with his potential running mates.
