Good Luck Bobby J.

Today is a historic day in Louisiana. Bobby Jindal was sworn in as Governor of Louisiana. He's the first Indian-American governor in the US. He also happens to be a Republican. Pretty impressive stuff for a state that is a bastion for Democrats. And corrupt-a-crats.

He's got a huge task ahead of him. Gargantuan even.

He's got to help the state recover from Hurricane Katrina. It's as much about changing the mindset as hammers and nails and concrete and steel.

Louisiana politics is long known for being a wretched hive of scum and villany (eclipsing even New Jersey). Politicians in Louisiana are corrupt, inept and have done the people of Louisiana wrong for far too long. The mess that was the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina is living proof of the problems.

Jindal has made changing this his top priority.

"We have the opportunity — born of tragedy but embraced still the same — to make right decades of failure in government," Jindal said.

"In our past, too many politicians looked out for themselves. Too many arms of state and local government did not get results. And the world took note," the new governor said.

Jindal's election puts a new public face on Louisiana politics, often stereotyped as a haven for backslapping good 'ol boys who hold office for decades. The 36-year-old son of Indian immigrants, Jindal is the nation's youngest sitting governor, and many of his top administrators are new to the halls of the Louisiana Capitol.

He takes over from Democrat Kathleen Blanco, who had defeated him four years earlier but whose image was battered by the state's response to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. She did not seek re-election.

Blanco attended the inaugural ceremonies with three other former Louisiana governors. The state's only other living ex-governor is Edwin Edwards, who could not attend because he is serving a federal prison sentence on corruption charges.

I wish him luck. He's going to need it.