Bobby Jindal, Catholic, Draws the Same "Secret Muslim" Allegations That Haunted Obama

By Dan Gilgoff, God & Country

I'm surprised that a few comments on my post about Bobby Jindal as the new face of Christian conservatism allege that he's got ancestral Muslim roots, in addition to the acknowledged Hinduism of his Indian born parents. Remind you of any other recent rumor campaigns against promising young minority politicians?

What's surprising is that some of the comments appear to be from pro-Sarah Palin conservatives. They're a likely preview of what a Jindal primary faceoff with Palin or another Christian conservative might look like, with both vying for conservative Christian support.

I haven't read any credible profiles of Jindal claiming Muslim roots. I've read several pieces that track the extraordinary depth of his early conversion from Hinduism to Catholicism, including his own account of participating in a Christian exorcism.

President Obama waged an intensive, nearly two-year effort to combat the false rumor campaign that he was secretly Muslim. If Jindal is to run for president in 2012—and he insists he won't—he'll have to start doing the same thing soon. That might also include debunking false rumors that he's secretly still Hindu.

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