Gov. Bobby Jindal, often mentioned as a running mate for John McCain, was against a legislative pay raise in Louisiana before he wasn't against it enough to stop it.

During his election campaign, he vowed to prohibit legislative pay raises.

The legislature more than doubled legislative salaries, a particularly undeserved raise in light of the state's slow recovery from Katrina and the economic devastation that haunts many of its residents.

Even while denouncing the money lawmakers are giving themselves, the governor has tried to depict the matter as an internal legislative affair that does not require his meddling.

Jindal has two more weeks to pull the trigger on a veto, but he apparently doesn't want to derail support for his "reform" agenda, which includes "allowing science teachers to use 'supplemental' material that critics say is merely a stalking-horse for teaching creationism." For this they're getting a raise?