Obama greets Jindal at the Bipartisan meeting of the National Governor's Association in December. It's Jindal vs. Obama

We've already got a national showdown of Jindal vs. Obama – and it's not even 2012.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, widely seen as a potential 2012 GOP presidential contender, will deliver the Republican response following President Obama’s nationally televised Address to the Nation on Feb. 24, Republican congressional leaders announced in a joint statement today.


“Gov. Jindal embodies what I have long said: the Republican Party must not be simply the party of ‘opposition,’ but the party of better solutions,” said House Minority John Boehner. “His stewardship of the state of Louisiana, dedication to reforming government, and commitment to bringing forth new and innovative ideas make him a leader not just within the Republican Party, but in our nation as a whole.”

Jindal has indicated he's not interested in running for president, but he's certainly taking on several high-profile Washington speaking roles lately. Jindal has also been tapped to headline the National Republican Congressional Committee’s March Dinner – a forum that in past years was given to President Bush.

Obama's national address is the traditional substitute of sorts for a first year president's State of the Union Address.