The President's first address to the entire congress on Feb 24 is to be answered by Gov. Jindal, according to the the new york times website..
Mitch McConnell's statement is cited in the article:
"...the minority leader in the Senate, said in a statement: "Governor Jindal’s leadership during a time of recovery in Louisiana, his commitment to real government reform, and his protection of hardworking American families make him an excellent choice to offer Republican solutions for the challenges which lay ahead."
According to The Swamp(at the Tribune), the announcement was made by John Boehner (OH) and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (KY). Boehner is quoted therein:
Gov. Jindal embodies what I have long said: the Republican Party must not be simply the party of 'opposition,' but the party of better solutions. His stewardship of the state of Louisiana, dedication to reforming government, and commitment to bringing forth new and innovative ideas make him a leader not just within the Republican Party, but in our nation as a whole
This should be a conservative pundit's field day. A smorgasboard of new metaphors to conjure, and comparisons to force. Of course, neither Obama or Jindal will have much ink to put to their speech drafts until after a deal is made on the Stimulus bill.
This is an interesting move by the GOP, considering that Jindal insists he is running for reelection in 2011, and has no national aspirations.
It's also a calculated move. To make such an announcement during negotiations over a monumental piece of legislation guarantees some amount of speculation. Jindal is a somewhat of a concilliatory pick, comparatively. It's also interesting that the response to Obama's speech to Congress will be given by someone who is not a member of Congress. This factor makes the kingmaking undertones a little more obvious.
Of course, as the AP reported on Feb. 2, Jindal is not a fan of the stimulus package -- but would happily accept the funds marked for the state of Louisiana.
However, the governor said today that he will carefully consider the final version of the bill to see which Louisiana projects might be funded with federal money laid out in the legislation.
Jindal, a former member of Congress, said that if he were still in the U.S. House, he would have joined fellow Republicans in voting against the measure.source