Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal has had his hands full with the outbreak of flu that's closed a Louisiana Catholic school, Cathedral-Carmel, in Lafayette. In addition, a doctor at one of Tulane University's clinics suspects New Orleans may have its first case of Swine Flu and has sent samples to be tested at the state lab.
How Jindal handles these crises, especially public fear of Swine Flu or whatever name health officials are calling the illness now, may end up as one of his "lessons learned" in his new book. Jindal signed a book deal earlier this month with Regnery Publishing, a politically conservative publishing house.
Per NOLA.com, "Jindal said the book will be a mix of biographical material, 'lessons I've learned throughout my life' and his thoughts on a range of policy issues." One of the policy issues he addresses in the book may be health care because during the 90s the Governor was the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.
The Times Picayune of New Orleans, USA Today, The Huffington Post and other news sources speculated this month that the young governor's book deal may be another sign that he plans to run for the presidency in the 2012 election. Gov. Jindal continues to deny that this is his immediate ambition.
The Governor's writing has drawn attention before. While in his 20s he wrote an essay published at the New Oxford Review, his personal account of comforting a friend who believed she'd been spiritually attacked by demons. Governor Jindal is a Roman Catholic who grew up in the Hindu faith. The essay stirred minor controversy during his run for the governor's seat.
However, Jindal has other written work on record. For instance, he's had an article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. JAMA published his "Medicare's Role in Financing Graduate Medical Education" in 1999.
On this new book, however, he will have a co-author, Florida writer Peter Schweizer, who has written in the past about the Bush family and President Ronald Reagan.
Lagniappe:
- BobbyJindal.com
- Flu Closes Lafayette School (This outbreak has not been identified as Swine Flu)
- Books list on Swine Flu, Epidemics and Pandemics
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