Your morning jolt: Bobby Jindal and his travel entourage

The Associated Press this morning dings Bobby Jindal for security expenses associated with the Louisiana governor’s extensive travels and fund-raising, including an appearance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”

Writes AP:

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal/Associated Press

The state has paid at least $52,000 in trooper costs for Jindal’s fundraising and political travel, which amounts to more than half of the bodyguards’ expenses on all his out-of-state trips.

It’s cost taxpayers at least $98,000 to cover troopers’ airfare, meals, car rentals and hotels for all Jindal’s travel outside Louisiana, including economic development bids and meetings with members of Congress, the president or other governors.

Jindal says he always touts Louisiana when he’s on the road. The aggressive political travel, he said, is to ensure he has enough money for a 2011 re-election bid.

Evidence that his eye remains on his re-elect — and not a presidential bid — comes with a tidbit buried in the same article. Jindal was in Boston last night for another fund-raiser.

It was sponsored by former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who maintains presidential aspirations of his own.

While you ponder that, consider these items found while perusing this morning’s ajc.com:

State DOT board chairman wants Sonny Perdue to veto reorganization.

Atlanta is a hub in Obama’s high-speed rail plan.

In Georgia, road projects paid with federal stimulus are the only things going.

Georgia unemployment rate holds at 9.2% — the first time in 20 months without an increase.

Bernie Marcus promises Grady $20 million.

Obama won’t charge CIA officers for rough tactics.

Some opinion:

Wooten says ‘bravo’ for Marine school, ‘boo’ for dainty cars.

And from elsewhere:

The Hill: ‘I have not backed off’ on assault weapons ban, says Obama.

NYT: A PDF of the U.S. Justice Department interrogation memos.

Voice of America: Raul Castro says he’s ready to talk about thawing the US-Cuba relationship.

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