Asian Americans for Obama

... and Philippine Independence Day!

Today is also Philippine Independence Day--the day Filipinos first declared their independence from 3 centuries of Spanish rule.  Sadly, the first Philippine republic was short-lived because of American intervention--the Philippines became a U.S. colony after the brutal Philippine-American War (in which U.S. troops first got to practice 'waterboarding').  Finally, on July 4, 1946, the Philippines  became an independent nation.  Filipinos worldwide celebrate their independence day, however, on June 12 to commemorate the heroism of Filipino revolutionaries in the long struggle for freedom against centuries of foreign occupants.

Obama Once Campaigned for Filipino American Politician Running for Illinois State Assembly

Aurora Abella-Austriaco, a prominent Filipino American lawyer in Illinois, is running for State Assembly in a district that has been held by a Republican for 118 years and includes the suburb of Park Ridge, where Sen. Hillary Clinton grew up.  Three years ago when she ran for Trustee of Maine Township, Sen. Obama personally campaigned on her behalf.

Aurora Abella-Austriaco has an uphill battle in this predominantly Republican district and is running against a 16 year incumbent.  However, Aurora Abella-Austriaco may be able to capitalize on the unprecedented dynamics of this election cycle and the hunger for change among the American population to win.  In her uncontested primary, she received 9,875 votes, almost double that of the Republican incumbent.

In 2006, people were tired of the out of touch, corrupt, extremist policies of many Republican politicians.  In Wichita, KS, State Rep. Raj Goyle defeated a Republican in a 2-1 Republican district that had never elected a Democrat, besting his opponent 57-43 and becoming the first person of AAPI descent elected to the state legislature in Kansas.

If Barack campaigned for Aurora, she may very well have some of the magic that makes a politician a true leader and could surprise everyone in November.  Read more about her in the Philippine News here.

Thanks to Angelica for alerting me to the article.

Past Presidents of University Democrats Endorse Obama

The University Democrats of the University of Texas at Austin is one of the most well organized student political organizations in the state and is also regarded as one of the best student organizations on campus PERIOD.  The UDems endorsement is highly sought in local politics.  An endorsement brings its legions of student volunteers for block walking, phone canvassing, and outreach, as well as their famous door hangers which go up around the area.  In the last couple of years, UDems have registered thousands of new voters and helped achieve a 99%+ voter turnout in the West Campus precincts where many students live.

Though the UDems do not endorse in the presidential race, the five past presidents of the UDems issued a joint endorsement of Sen. Obama, including Nick Chu, a close personal friend of mine, and the first Asian American president of the UDems (that we can verify based on existing records).  Another past president, Brian Dupre (Spring 1998-Fall 1998), now a law student at UT, also endorsed Obama.

The group includes students from across the state of Texas:

Marcus Ceniceros, El Paso (Fall 2004-Spring 2005)
Alex Hunt, Corpus Christi (Fall 2005)
Brandon Chicotsky, Fort Worth (Spring 2006)
Nick Chu, Grapevine (Fall 2006-Spring 2007)
Ben Trotter, Wichita Falls (Fall 2007)

"We have all spent a great deal of our time at The University trying to engage students to become involved in the political process and vote Democratic," stated the group.  "Sen. Obama has done a tremendous amount to mobilize the youth and get them excited about the political process.  Barack Obama is a once in a generation kind of politician and has the ability to shape the next Generation of voters. He is bringing more and more young people into the process and will help create more Democrats for the future."

"We look forward to working closely with Mr. Obama's campaign here in Texas," the group said.  "Our group has spent countless hours helping the Democratic Party and we will use our experience and resources to help Barack Obama win the nomination.  Sen. Obama is the best candidate to represent the students of The University of Texas - Austin as well as the Great State of Texas."

For statements from the individual presidents, go below the fold.

Oldest Texas Democratic Latino Organization Endorses Obama

Press release from the Mexican American Democrats of Texas:

Mexican American Democrats Endorse Obama

Oldest Hispanic Group within the Texas Democratic Party Makes Endorsement Following Meeting in Dallas

AUSTIN – Yesterday, the Mexican American Democrats endorsed Senator Barack Obama in his campaign for president, citing his longstanding relationship with Hispanic community and commitment to improving the lives of Hispanic men, women and children in Texas and across America.

The Mexican American Democrats believe that Senator Obama’s experience bringing Americans of all ages, religions, races and ethnicities together make him the best candidate to make progress on the issues that matter to Hispanics in Texas and across America. Obama’s leadership in the U.S. Senate on comprehensive immigration reform and his specific plans to strengthen our schools, bring about universal healthcare, and provide tax relief for working families show us that he is truly committed to improving the lives of Hispanics and all Americans.

In the face of a tight primary race in Texas, the Hispanic community’s participation at the polls will be crucial in deciding who will be the nominees of the Democratic Party. The mission of the Mexican American Democrats is to unify and empower the Mexican American-Latino community by increasing voting numbers to achieve political influence on issues that affect the Hispanic Community, as well as promote Hispanics as political candidates and appointees.

On Saturday February 16, the Mexican American Democrats’ endorsement committee met in Dallas to screen Democratic candidates running for office. Candidate response and participation was overwhelming. The committee heard from candidates on issues of importance to Mexican American Democrats in writing, as well as in person via conference call.

“The Mexican American community needs more that just Spanish speaking candidates trying to get the Hispanic vote. We need candidates who are committed to improve the lives of Latino men, women and children whether citizens, legal residents or undocumented by writing polices that work for us,” said John Lopez chairman of the endorsing committee. The Mexican American Democrats challenged the candidates to outline their position on issues like immigration, access to justice, education and many other topics of pressing concern.

At the Presidential level, the Mexican American Democrats hereby announce their overwhelming support for Senator Barack Obama. Senator Obama stated “My commitment to a humane and sensible immigration system is unparalleled…we want to bring the undocumented out of hiding and put them on a path of earned citizenship.” This position and his commitment to issues that matter to the Hispanic community won Senator Obama the endorsement of the Mexican American Democrats in Texas.

Congressman Chet Edwards Endorses Sen. Obama

Today, Congressman Chet Edwards endorsed Sen. Obama, stating:

"I believe Senator Obama can bring about real change in Washington, change that will make a positive difference for average working Americans struggling to keep up with the high costs of health care, gasoline and education."

Congressman Chet Edwards is a popular Democratic politician from Waco that represents a heavily Republican district in Texas which includes President Bush's ranch.  Edwards was one of the Congressman targeted in Tom Delay's mid-decade redistricting scheme and was the only one one of the few to win reelection in the newly drawn, heavily gerrymandered districts.  His colleagues Charlie Stenholm, Max Sandlin, Martin Frost, and Nick Lampson lost their seats in 2004, and another Congressman, Jim Turner, chose to retire.  Edwards, with his strong reputation among his constituents as a tireless, hardworking advocate, survived the election and has maintained a high level of support in his new district.  In a somewhat ironic twist, the Republicans attempted to oust Edwards by adding in portions of Bryan-College Station, where Texas A&M University is located, believing that Edwards would do poorly in these more Republican areas.  However, they forgot that Edwards is a graduate of Texas A&M and one of their most distinguished and respected alumni.  In 2004, Edwards actually won the Bryan-College Station areas added to his district to supposedly help defeat him.

More Key Wisconsin and Texas Endorsements

In Wisconsin, Sen. Obama has picked up the endorsement of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.  The editorial board writes:

"Our recommendation in Wisconsin's primary on Tuesday for the Democratic nomination is Barack Obama. That's our recommendation because change and experience are crucial to moving this country forward after what will be eight years of an administration careening from mistake to catastrophe to disaster and back again.

The Illinois senator is best-equipped to deliver that change, and his relatively shorter time in Washington is more asset than handicap.

The Obama campaign has been derisively and incorrectly described as more rock tour than political campaign and his supporters as more starry-eyed groupies than thoughtful voters.

If detractors in either party want to continue characterizing the Obama campaign this way, they will have seriously underestimated both the electorate's hunger for meaningful change in how the nation is governed and the candidate himself.

In an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board on Wednesday, the first-term senator proved himself adept at detail and vision. They are not mutually exclusive."

Obama also picked up the endorsement of the Houston Chronicle, giving him the endorsements of the major paper for Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, and Houston, the five largest cities in Texas (not to mention Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio are three of the ten largest cities in the US).  The Chronicle writes:

"The presidency of the United States is a powerful bully pulpit. The occupant of the White House must not only issue orders, but also inspire and advocate for all Americans.

Of the two finalists for the Democratic presidential nomination, the Chronicle believes Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois is best-qualified by life experience, skill and temperament to be the standard bearer for his party. In a conference call, Obama told the Chronicle editorial board that 'more than any other candidate, I can bridge some of the partisan as well as racial and religious divides that have developed in this country that prevent us from getting things done.'"

Legendary Texas Populist Jim Hightower to Endorse Obama

Jim Hightower, former Texas Agriculture Commissioner, columnist, author, and populist hero, will be campaigning for Barack Obama, according to the Nation.

"The Austin-based populist will be campaigning in Texas for Barack Obama. And it will mean something, since Hightower has not forgotten what he learned about the political landscape by winning two statewide elections in the 1980s and serving as an essential player on more than a few campaigns since then.

Texas is supposed to be Hillary Clinton country. She's got what are referred to as "demographic advantages." Translation: The large Hispanic population in the Lone Star state is expected to back her on March 4 when Texans vote in a "beauty-contest" primary and then choose delegates at evening caucuses.

Hispanic support has been critical to Clinton's viability, helping the New York senator to carry California, Arizona and other key states on Super Tuesday.

But Hightower thinks Obama can compete in Texas by building a coalition that looks a little like the "rainbow" of old -- and a lot like the coalitions that just gave the senator big wins in Maryland and Virginia. The Obama campaign is listening. Indeed, the candidate has started slipping references to the state into his campaign speeches. Obama plans to play in Texas, as he will do so with Hightower at his side."

Democracy for Texas Endorses Obama

Democracy for Texas, the grassroots organization that grew out of Dean for Texas and is the state chapter of Democracy for America, has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama.  A couple of weeks ago, DFT announced that they would endorse in the presidential contest only if a clear, substantial majority of their membership voted to endorse a particular candidate.  Sen. Obama resoundingly won the support of DFT folks.  Here's their announcement:

We asked, you answered. Loud and clear. The winner of our presidential poll is Senator Barack Obama, with 73.2% of the 2,760 votes cast.

As much as the margin of victory, we were impressed by the passion of Obama voters and their excitement about the future. In a world where cynicism about politics has become the norm, it is refreshing to see optimism, hope, and the belief that each of us can make a difference. Or, to paraphrase Senator Obama’s comments last week: “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

It’s a particular joy to watch the young people who are engaged in this campaign, many of whom cut their political teeth in Howard Dean’s campaign. They’re not just talking, they’re assuming a leadership role. We couldn’t be prouder.

But it’s not just young people. One slightly older Obama supporter told us:

“I’m a 73-year-old Yellow Dog Democrat and this is the first time I have been truly excited with a candidate for president since 1960.”

We understand. We’re “fired up and ready to go” ourselves, and looking forward to working with everyone - regardless of your preference in the poll - to elect a Democrat in November.

Los Angeles Times Endorses Obama

The LA Times, which hasn't endorsed since 1972, writes:

Democrats preparing to vote in Tuesday's California primary can mark their ballots with confidence, knowing that either candidate would make a strong nominee and, if elected, a groundbreaking leader and capable president. But just because the ballot features two strong candidates does not mean that it is difficult to choose between them. We urge voters to make the most of this historic moment by choosing the Democrat most focused on steering the nation toward constructive change: We strongly endorse Barack Obama.

Continue reading here.

California SEIU Endorses Obama

The California SEIU (Service Employees International Union), which has around 650,000 members in California, switched their endorsement to Sen. Obama following Sen. John Edwards withdrawal from the race.

With recent polls showing Sen. Clinton's lead on Sen. Obama narrowing, this is a terrific development that will help get out the vote for Sen. Obama.

To read more from the San Jose Mercury News, click here.

MoveOn.org Endorses Sen. Obama

From MoveOn.org:

In a resounding vote today, MoveOn.org Political Action's members nationwide voted to endorse Senator Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for President. The group, with 3.2 million members nation-wide and over 1.7 million members in Super Tuesday states, will immediately begin to mobilize on behalf of Senator Obama. The vote favored Senator Obama to Senator Clinton by 70.4% to 29.6%.

Senator Obama accepted the endorsement stating:

""In just a few years, the members of MoveOn have once again demonstrated that real change comes not from the top-down, but from the bottom-up. From their principled opposition to the Iraq war - a war I also opposed from the start - to their strong support for a number of progressive causes, MoveOn shows what Americans can achieve when we come together in a grassroots movement for change. I thank them for their support and look forward to working with their members in the weeks and months ahead."

Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org's Executive Director, issued the following statement on the group's endorsement:

"Our members' endorsement of Senator Obama is a clear call for a new America at this critical moment in history. Seven years of the disastrous policies of the Bush Administration have left the country desperate for change. We need a President who will bring to bear the strong leadership and vision required to end the war in Iraq, provide health care to every American, deal with our climate crisis, and restore America's standing in the world. The enormity of the challenges require someone who knows how to inspire millions to get involved to change the direction of our country, and someone who will be willing to change business as usual in Washington. Senator Barack Obama has proved he can and will be that President."

"With 3.2 million members nationwide and over 1.7 million members in states that vote next Tuesday, we'll be able to immediately jump into action in support of Senator Obama's candidacy. We've learned that the key to achieving change in Washington without compromising core values is having a galvanized electorate to back you up. And Barack Obama has our members 'fired up and ready to go' on that front.

Former Fed Chair Paul Volcker Endorses Obama

The Wall Street Journal reports that Paul Volcker, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve appointed by President Jimmy Carter, endorsed Sen. Obama.

Volcker may not be as sexy of an endorsement as, say, Ted Kennedy, but I actually have an enormous amount of respect for him.  Many of you may know that Volcker was appointed by Jimmy Carter to deal with the crippling "stagflation" crisis that had gripped America for almost a decade.  Volcker is also a prime example of doing something politically unpopular but right in terms of policy.  Volcker was a known hawk on inflation and finally reversed the runaway trend by imposing an enormous hike in interest rates that caused one of the deepest recessions in American history.  This strong medicine set the stage for the 80s boom, but one of the primary consequences was to allow Ronald Reagan to blame Jimmy Carter for the sorry state of the economy in 1980 and then later take credit for the 80s recovery.  Carter knew that Volcker's actions would hurt him politically, but he appointed him anyway.

Volcker now commands the respect of many economists and economic policy wonks, and even those Republicans who despise Jimmy Carter begrudgingly admit that appointing Volcker was one of the smartest things a president has ever done.  Sen. Obama is certainly not Jimmy Carter, but he does share the quality of sticking to his positions when they are right, even though they may not be popular.  As numerous YouTube videos have shown, Obama's policy positions have remained steady and unchanged for the last several years, whether he was serving in the Illinois State Senate, running for US Senate, or running for President.  That's the kind of quality that people also admire in John McCain, and if he's the eventual nominee, we'll need someone who shares that integrity to beat him.

Two More AAPI Endorsements

U.S. Rep. and recent Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich's campaign manager, Vin Gopal, of New Jersey, is endorsing Sen. Obama.  He stated, "Both Kucinich and Obama opposed the war in Iraq from the start....New Jersey progressives need to unite behind a candidate who is right on the issues when it counts."

Newly elected mayor of Las Cruces, New Mexico (just over the border from El Paso, TX), Ken Miyagishima, who is of Japanese and Mexican descent, will endorse in a news conference on Tuesday, Jan. 29.

Endorsement Roll Call

Sen. Obama has been racking up so many endorsements lately, I'm going to make an effort to list the latest here.  Apologies for any oversights.

I'm also going to note two things about these endorsements.  First is that they exemplify the diverse coalition that Sen. Obama has assembled.  They run the gamut from the liberal Dean of the Democratic Party, Sen. Ted Kennedy, the highest ranking Latino in Congress, Rep. Xavier Becerra (and an old friend of the AAPI community), to rural, centrist Democratic Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Virginia Congressman Rick Boucher (also one of Congress's resident Internet experts).

Second is that when reading Tom Hayden's endorsement today, I noticed two points he made that resonated strongly with what I had just written yesterday about Obama and the youth.  Hayden writes, "We are in a precious moment where caution must yield to courage. It is better to fail at the quest for greatness than to accept our planet's future as only a reliving of the past."  Yesterday, I wrote about the defeatist attitude of rejecting the hope for change as naive even while recognizing the desirability of such change.  Hayden also quoted my hero Gandhi, "There go my people. I must follow them, for I am their leader."  He was highlighting how the power of a movement can actually drive its supposed leader to even greater heights.  Both of these statements demonstrate that Sen. Obama did not make our movement possible; our movement made him possible - and he reaffirms that fact in every speech he gives.

Individuals:

Caroline Kennedy, daughter of President John F. Kennedy

Sen. Ted Kennedy, Massachusetts, brother of JFK

U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy, Rhode Island, son of Sen. Ted Kennedy

U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra, California, Assistant to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi

Toni Morrison, Nobel Prize winning author of Beloved, the Bluest Eye, and many more classics

Tom Hayden, 60s activist and former California State Assembly Member and State Senator

U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, Virginia

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas, who will deliver the Democratic response to Bush's State of the Union

U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano, Massachusetts

Newspapers:

Arizona Republic

San Francisco Chronicle

Seattle Times

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Philadelphia Inquirer

San Jose Mercury News

Chicago Tribune

Caroline Kennedy Endorses Obama

A President Like My Father

OVER the years, I’ve been deeply moved by the people who’ve told me they wished they could feel inspired and hopeful about America the way people did when my father was president. This sense is even more profound today. That is why I am supporting a presidential candidate in the Democratic primaries, Barack Obama.

My reasons are patriotic, political and personal, and the three are intertwined. All my life, people have told me that my father changed their lives, that they got involved in public service or politics because he asked them to. And the generation he inspired has passed that spirit on to its children. I meet young people who were born long after John F. Kennedy was president, yet who ask me how to live out his ideals.

Continued.

Ted Kennedy and Rahm Emmanuel Ask Bill Clinton to Stop Attacks on Obama

From Newsweek:

"Prominent Democrats are upset with the aggressive role that Bill Clinton is playing in the 2008 campaign, a role they believe is inappropriate for a former president and the titular head of the Democratic Party. In recent weeks, Sen. Edward Kennedy and Rep. Rahm Emanuel, both currently neutral in the Democratic contest, have told their old friend heatedly on the phone that he needs to change his tone and stop attacking Sen. Barack Obama, according to two sources familiar with the conversations who asked for anonymity because of their sensitive nature. Clinton, Kennedy and Emanuel all declined to comment."

The article goes on to say that some in Clinton's camp are worried that these recent attacks may be pushing Sen. Kennedy towards an endorsement of Obama.  I do find it ironic that the article states that few in the press believed many of Bill Clinton's attacks, yet were apparently fine with replaying them over and over again on TV without much attempt to explain the reasons why they were unbelievable.

Nevada Teachers Union Sues Democratic Party Over Casino Precincts

The Nevada Teachers Union has filed a lawsuit against the Nevada Democratic Party to prevent them from having the nine at-large casino precincts for the thousands of casino workers who have to work on Saturday and can't get back to their home precincts for the Nevada Caucus on January 19.  The union is arguing that the precincts are a violation of "one person, one vote" because they dilute the votes of teachers who aren't being given the same opportunity.  The teachers argue that some of them will also be at work on Saturday, helping run the Caucus precincts that are located at schools.  (Which raises the question in my mind, is that something they're doing voluntarily or something their employers are making them do?  If the latter, isn't there something problematic about a school forcing its employees to work for a partisan political caucus?)

Some say the lawsuit is an effort by the union, many of whose leaders support Clinton, to suppress the vote of casino workers, whose union endorsed Obama.  The possible Clinton-Obama politics aside, many Asian Americans in Nevada are casino and hospitality workers.  If the teachers union succeeds in obtaining a preliminary injunction, Asian Americans in Nevada may encounter a significant obstacle to voting.  I don't think the suit is likely to succeed, but even so, people may want to start planning for such a scenario now.  One idea may be to work with casino employers to be flexible about letting employees caucus on Saturday.

And in terms of principle, I think it sends a pretty bad message for an ally of the Democratic Party to be pursuing what amounts to an attempt at voter suppression at the same time the party is trying to combat onerous voter ID requirements all over the country.

My legal analysis is after the jump. 

First Filipino Congressman Endorses Sen. Obama

Congressman Bobby Scott (D-VA), who is part Filipino, part African American, and part Caucasian, endorses Sen. Barack Obama.  Congressman Scott is the first person of Filipino descent elected to Congress, and the first African American elected to Congress from Virginia since Reconstruction.

From the press release:

Congressman Robert "Bobby" Scott Announces Support for Barack Obama

Chicago, IL – Virginia Congressman Robert "Bobby" Scott (D-VA) announced his support for Senator Barack Obama today, citing his sound judgment on the Iraq war and leadership on critical issues such as health care and crime policy.

"America is at a crossroad. We can either remain mired in the politics of the past, or press forward and elect a President who can unite us around the sobering challenges we face. Senator Barack Obama offers change we can believe in and that is why I support his candidacy for President," said Congressman Scott.

Read more here.

Kumar Endorses Obama!

Kal Penn, who made his name playing Taj in Van Wilder and Kumar in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, has endorsed Sen. Obama.

From the Asian American Action Fund blog:

So via Sepia Mutiny, I see that Kal Penn is supporting Barack Obama. Kal Penn is better known as Kumar, of Harold and Kumar go to White Castle.

(Harold and Kumar are making a sequel where they try to bust out of Guantanamo. Love the political humor potential!)

H&K the movie is actually all about the pursuit of the American Dream, as embodied by their travels through urban and suburban New Jersey (including a jungle encounter with a tiger or leopard IIRC) while seeking their ultimate food - a White Castle burger. (Think of it as an alternative to the brass ring.) It's a smart and modern deconstruction of lots of American stereotypes about race and ethnicity as well as the dueling expectations of our parents' generation and our own hyphenated identities. So it actually makes a lot of sense that Kal Penn, as an actor of our generation who represents one of the first "break out" Asian American actors, would endorse Obama.
Kal Penn writes:

I joked about my Prius in a short internet film, but I do drive a hybrid car in real life. It's important to me to see a candidate who understands that with some creativity, it is possible to both protect the environment and stimulate economic growth. Senator Obama's impressive environmental plan includes an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by the year 2050, and an investment of $150 billion over the next 10 years to develop climate-friendly energy supplies, and create millions of new jobs. He advocates using corn-based ethanol as a bridge for cellulosic ethanol (as an alternative fuel source), and supports environmentally-beneficial industrial production (like commercialization of low-carbon coal technologies in global economic sectors like India and China).

Many of us have parents, cousins, or friends who immigrated from different parts of the world in search of a better life. Some of them came here under something called the H1B visa program, which right now leaves too many loopholes that shady employers can take advantage of. Senator Obama is committed to reforming this system, so that qualified, hard-working immigrants can contribute to society, free from any sense of vulnerability or danger of abuse by employers. He is also committed to strengthening our borders by removing incentives for people to enter the United States illegally.

Obama's campaign has made good use of younger Asian American stars like Jin and Kal Penn, and hopefully other campaigns will both personally reach out to our communities and use more APIA surrogates - political or otherwise, because we have a lot of talent in our community. Last time around, Kerry made good use of Tamlyn Tomita and Congressman Mike Honda. We're here and we're actively involved. We're over 14 million APIAs, and we're listening. Come talk to us.

- Caroline Fan

Barack Breaks Away From the Pack

The reviews are in, and the people and the pundits agree - Obama rocked the YouTube debate last night.

GOP Boy Wonder and Pollster Savant Frank Luntz said that Obama not only won, but he showed that he has all the goods and picked up a good number of supporters last night.

The campaign shared these reactions from the media and supporters:

This morning’s news coverage declared Barack the clear winner of the debate.  Here’s a sample of what they had to say: 

Time and time again Obama sought to take specific questions and broaden them into a conversation over who represented real change in the field. He castigated lobbyists and special interests in Washington, offering a sweeping condemnation of business as usual (by both parties) in the nation's capital. "We don't need just a change in political parties," said Obama. "We need a change in attitudes of the people representing Americans."

-- Chris Cillizza, Washington Post

We're here with 24 Democrats, independents, who thought that Senator Hillary Clinton would be the best performer here tonight, but the results that we just got in, this is a focus group; show that Barack Obama got the most favorable in terms of the best performance from the 24 people who are here tonight.

-- Mary Snow, CNN

Watch Barack’s performance and help build our movement for change:

htttp://my.BarackObama.com/DebateSC

We also heard from hundreds of supporters who shared their reactions via Obama mobile: 

I loved Obama's comment that we're not going to fix anything until 'we change how business is done in Washington.' As usual, he was spot-on. I have faith that Barack is THE candidate to facilitate these changes. He has shown commitment time and again that he will work across lines of party, race, & religion to make progress in America. United, we can make a difference!

-- Lisa in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Once again Barack applied a common sense approach in his response tonight. I was also pleased he continued to reinforce his message of unity. O8AMA!!

-- Russ in Cary, Illinois

Barack, you were the best one there and should be the obvious choice for those of us who want true, real, and honest change. Keep it up!

-- Tessa in Rochester, New York

Obama's Sister in Hawaii

As some of you may know, Sen. Obama's sister Maya Soetoro-Ng is of Indonesian descent.  On Sunday, while Sen. Obama was attending a rally in San Antonio, Maya delivered a message for her brother.

From the Associated Press via KPUA:

Obama sends message to Hawaii rally via sister

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ Senator Barack Obama told voters in Hawaii yesterday that a failure of leadership was preventing the nation from meeting its many challenges from war to a broken health care system.

The Honolulu-born Democratic presidential candidate delivered the words in a letter his half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, read to some 125 people at Trinity Missionary Baptist Church.

The senator from Illinois was campaigning in Texas on Sunday, speaking at an event that drew about one thousand people in San Antonio.

One voter who attended the Honolulu rally walked away convinced by Obama.

Christopher Pittman is a 26-year-old black Army sergeant from Whiteville, North Carolina.

He says he just wanted to know what Obama was willing to do to meet the needs of all Americans.

He says he heard enough at the rally to commit his support to Obama.

(Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Click here to see Video coverage of her visit to Hawaii.

Obama Announces for President!

This morning  at 10:00 AM in Springfield, Illinois, the home of Abraham Lincoln, Senator Barack Obama officially announced his candidacy for President of the United States.

You can view his inspiring announcement speech here.  Read the full text of his announcement here.

Be a part of history and e-mail asianamericansforobama@gmail.com today to join our mailing list and volunteer!  In the words of Senator Obama, together, we can help build a more hopeful America.

Don't forget to visit my.barackobama.com, a groundbreaking and innovative tool from the Obama presidential campaign, where you can create your own profile, network with other supporters, plan and attend events, become a fundraiser, and even write your own blog.

After you create your profile, don't forget to join the Asian Americans for Obama group!

Obama Announcement This Saturday, February 10

This Saturday, February 10, Senator Barack Obama will make announce his decision to run for President of the United States at 10:00 AM.

If you're in Austin, join Texans for Obama for a Breakfast and Announcement Party at 9:30 AM this Saturday at Mitchie's Art Gallery at 6406 N. IH-35, Suite #2800, Austin, TX 78752. 

To see a list of announcement events by the Obama Exploratory Commitee for February 10-12, visit the Announcement Tour page of the Obama Exploratory Committee website.  For those in Illinois and Iowa, there are several great opportunities to be there for this historic announcement.

If there aren't any events in your area, plan your own!  Get your friends, family, and community together for an announcement party, and kick off your local organizing and volunteer effort with a bang! 

Be sure to collect contact information from everybody who attends, and encourage them to visit our website.  Let us know about any local events (this week and in the future), and we will post them on this website.  Remember that local newspapers, magazines, and other publications often offer free listings for community events, and take advantage of local Asian American businesses and community centers to spread the word!  It's also free to post on websites such as Craigslist.

Sen. Obama Announces Presidential Exploratory Committee

Senator Obama announced today that he will file papers to create a "presidential exploratory committee."  This is one of the first major steps towards officially declaring as a candidate for the Presidency, and it is looking increasingly likely that Sen. Obama will be running for President in 2008.  This is why it is even more important that grassroots organizations such as ours must build up our networks and resources so that we can hit the ground running when Sen. Obama makes his official decision on February 10. 

Here are some simple steps you can take right now:

1. Spread the word about our website,  www.asianamericansforobama.com. 
2. Tell your friends, family, and colleagues to join our mailing list by e-mailing asianamericansforobama@gmail.com.   
3. Spread the word about Sen. Obama's announcement by telling people to visit http://www.barackobama.com/video/from_barack_transcript/index.php for the transcript of the announcement and watch the video.
4. If you're in the Austin area, spread the word about our first Meetup at Scholz's at 5:00 PM on Sunday, January 28.  Go to http://democrat.meetup.com/1059/ to sign up.
5. E-mail us and VOLUNTEER!!!

Here is the text of Sen. Obama's announcement:

A Message from Barack

                         

Watch Barack's statement
on forming a Presidential
Exploratory Committee

No Announcement Yet as Obama Honors MLK's Legacy

From the Associated Press via the Chicago Tribune:

Obama a hit as he honors MLK; no presidential announcement

By ASHLEY M. HEHER
Associated Press Writer
Published January 15, 2007, 2:27 PM CST

HARVEY, Ill. -- Sen. Barack Obama sounded more like a preacher than a politician on Monday when he brought thousands of faithful admirers to their feet during appearances honoring Martin Luther King Jr.

But Obama didn't deliver the one thing the crowd clearly wanted: a declaration that the nation's only black U.S. senator would run for president.

"I didn't want to use this day to indicate my plans because I am humbled by what Dr. King accomplished," said the Illinois Democrat, who told reporters he would make an announcement about a possible presidential bid "very soon."

"I don't think that whatever my political plans are, are comparable to the heroic struggles he went through," he said. "And I don't want to draw a false parallel."

Obama Announcement on MLK Day?

From RunObama.com, some news about Sen. Obama, including a rumor that he may announce his bid for the Presidency on January 15, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Keep your fingers crossed!

Dear Friend,

Happy New Year! On the first day of the new Congress Senator Obama took a strong stand against corruption with an Op-Ed in the Washington Post writing:   

"This past Election Day, the American people sent a clear message to Washington: Clean up your act...   

     The truth is, we cannot change the way Washington works unless we first change the way Congress works."   

Changing Congress may be Step One but sending Barack Obama to the White House is the Next Step.

With reports growing every day that Sen. Obama will announce his decision in January, it's important we do all we can to encourage him to run for President. In fact, the NBC 5 News in Chicago hinted in a recent report that Obama may have a major announcement coming as soon as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day this weekend.

Send the RunObama Petition To Your Friends and Family to Spread the Word About Barack Obama

Barack Obama has been increasingly compared to Bobby Kennedy for his ability to inspire and involve people. Last week Ethel Kennedy, Robert Kennedy's widow, spoke to the New York Times about Sen. Obama and said, "He's terrific.  He can't run soon enough" and later:

As she rode in an elevator, surrounded by a few members of her family, Mrs. Kennedy lowered her head when she was asked whether such [security] concerns should prevent Mr. Obama from running. She shook her head, indicating her answer was no.

“Life,” she said, “is an adventure.”

The  RunObama Blog is your place for the latest news and analysis on Senator Obama.

Happy New Year!

The RunObama Team