Asian Americans for Obama

Texas Democratic State Convention Wrap Up

This past weekend, June 6-7, the Texas Democratic State Convention took place in Austin, Texas.  An estimated 17,000 people attended (7,500 delegates, 7,500 alternates, plus guests, vendors, press, and more), making it one of the largest state conventions in the country and more than twice as large as the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

I attended as a delegate from Senate District 14, represented by Obama supporter State Senator Kirk Watson, who also served as Convention Chair.  It was a wild and crazy ride, and I'm still recovering from getting 6 hours of sleep over a 72 hour period.

One of the key results of the convention was that the confusing results of the Texas hybrid primary-caucus system were finally settled by the delegate sign-in and certification this weekend.  In the end, 57.3% (4,144) of the delegates signed in for Obama, and 42.7% (3,088) of the delegates signed in for Clinton.  This split the 67 caucus delegates 38-29 for Obama, resulting in a total of 99 delegates for Obama and 94 delegates for Clinton, finally confirming the Obama campaign's claim that they won the delegate race in Texas.  Of course, at this stage, it hardly mattered, which is probably why there was an apparent shift in the number of sign-ins for Obama and Clinton from previous results at the County and Precinct Conventions as some delegates for both candidates decided to skip the trip, and others chose to sign in for a different candidate from previously.

Go below the fold for a detailed recap.

Learn How to Be a Delegate to the DNC

For young AAPIs seeking to be delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Denver, the DNC Youth Council is holding a series of teleconference trainings.  The information from the Council and a downloadable document on the process are available below:

One of the goals of the DNC's Youth Council is to increase the number of young delegates (those under 36) to the Democratic National Convention. We have already held several conference call trainings on the process to be a delegate. The trainings were extremely successful and we are eager to get underway with our next round of calls.

Below one will find a listing of some of our upcoming calls. Please spread the word to as many people as possible about these. On each call we will be joined by a member of that respective state's party to go over the process to be a Congressional District, PLEO, or At-Large delegate to the Democratic National Convention. In addition to the specific training, we will be sure to provide information on how to get more involved with the State Party and other youth organizations. (If you or your organization have specific information you would like to have mentioned, please email me and let me know as soon as possible.)

The upcoming calls are:

Gene Koo on Obama Campaign in Pennsylvania

I came across this piece on Huffington Post by Gene Koo who's been making calls to Pennsylvania for the Obama campaign. He writes about his "first overtly racist anti-Obama" encounter with a voter and the challenges that Obama may or may not face connecting with white, middle-class "Levittown" voters. Koo grew up nearby the original Levittown in NY. Read more about his campaign work at his blog AnderKoo.

I haven't ever had any voter come out and tell me he or she wouldn't support Barack Obama because he's black, but I have heard that sentiment is out there in the AAPI community--especially among older generations. Hopefully it's not too widespread or so ingrained. A large part of this campaign seems to be opening people's minds.

Obama Congratulates Taiwan President-Elect Ma Ying-Jeou

Since 1992, Taiwan has chosen its president in free, democratic elections.  Today, March 22, was the Taiwanese presidential election.  The sitting president, Chen Shui-Bian, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), is termed out having been elected to two four year terms.  This year, voters signaled a desire for change by electing Kuomingtang (KMT - Chinese Nationalist Party) candidate Ma Ying-Jeou president with 58% of the vote over his DPP rival, Frank Hsieh.  It was the largest margin of victory in the history of Taiwanese presidential elections, which have been notoriously close affairs.  Election officials estimated turnout at 75%, which is actually down from previous years.

My family is originally from Taiwan, and my parents actually went back to Taiwan this week to vote in the presidential race.  My parents are ardent KMT supporters, and so I imagine they are celebrating Ma's victory right now.  Ma was formerly mayor of Taipei and also served as justice minister in a previous administration where he gained a reputation for fighting corruption, one of the biggest issues in this year's election.  President-Elect Ma and Sen. Obama also have something in common; both men graduated from Harvard Law School.

Sen. Obama issued a statement today congratulating President-Elect Ma and offered his support for the continued growth and vitality of democracy in Taiwan.  He stated, in part,

"The people of Taiwan deserve our respect and admiration for this free and fair election, which is just the latest step in consolidating a democracy that has advanced over the last two decades.  I hope the People’s Republic of China responds to this election in a positive, constructive, and forward-leaning way.  It is important for Beijing to demonstrate to the people of Taiwan that the practical and non-confrontational approach that President-elect Ma promises to take toward the Mainland will be met with good faith and progress."

I know that not all Americans who trace their heritage back to Taiwan supported President-Elect Ma, but all of us can be encouraged by Taiwan's fourth successful, peaceful democratic presidential election in two decades.  Taiwan still has a long way to go in terms of full democratic reforms, but the robustness of Taiwan's two-party democracy is an inspiration to emerging democracies everywhere.  Taiwan has changed the party in power in both their legislative and executive branches twice now over the span of sixteen years, avoiding the virtual one party state that has persisted in other democracies in the region.

Many Chinese and Taiwanese Americans still closely follow events in East Asia.  Sen. Obama's attention to that region and its politics is an encouraging sign that his foreign policy agenda will have a cogent understanding of the complexities of cross-strait relations.

Let's hope that Sen. Obama can emulate President-Elect Ma's decisive victory in another way as well.  Earlier this year, the KMT and its allied parties took 75% of the seats in the legislature in an astounding change election.  With our support, we can ensure that Sen. Obama will take office with the ability to pursue his agenda of change with the backing of a solid Democratic majority in both houses of Congress.

For those of you who may not know what President-Elect Ma looks like (he's quite popular with the ladies in Taiwan), here's a picture of me with him at an event that my parents took me to in Taiwan.  He's standing in the middle.  (And he's the one who actually suggested giving the "hook 'em Horns" sign for the photo.)

Reducing Barack to His Race

"If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept." -- Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, March 7, 2008.

Rep. Ferraro's comments--suggesting that Barack Obama's meteoric rise is due solely to the luck of his skin color--has no place in any Democratic campaign. 

Obama and Policy Details

A fair amount of attention has been devoted in the press lately to the fact that Obama has shifted to a more "policy" oriented approach in his latest speeches and appearances, including giving more detailed policy speeches and cutting back on the applause lines and doing town halls with open Q&A.  And anyone who hasn't been living in a cave for the past year knows that the primary contrast drawn between the two candidates by both Clinton's speeches and much of the press is that Clinton is more "policy oriented" and Obama is more "inspiration" and "hope" oriented in campaigning.

All of this, of course, has led to a lot of accusations by folks that Obama has not provided ANY details.  Of course, the recent change in style by Obama has confirmed that indeed, it is hard to provide both policy detail and inspirational rhetoric in the same speech; increasing one does indeed require some sacrifice of the other.  Additionally, there are a couple of ironic things about this accusation.  First of all, anyone who followed coverage of the race in the early days before and immediately after Obama's announcement of his decision to run for president should remember numerous warnings about his tendency to be "overly wonkish" and even Gore-like in his preference for complex policy discussions in interviews and such.  Much hay was made about his campaign advisers warning him to be careful about being perceived as overly analytical and nuanced like Kerry was.

Second of all, being particularly cognizant of accusations of lack of policy detail as a younger candidate, the Barack Obama website has had pages and pages of Barack Obama's policy proposals available for perusal online for months.  I can't count the number of times someone has said to me, "But Obama hasn't offered any details on X," and then I hopped on the Internet and found 3 or 4 single spaced pages devoted to X.  On one occasion, someone said they preferred Clinton's proposals on helping people pay for college because she gave "actual numbers."  It took me about a minute to go online and find the various numbers Sen. Obama has proposed for education tax credits, increasing Pell Grants and other federal financial aid, etc.  In fact, Sen. Obama's proposals on a number of issues have actually contained more detailed content than the same pages on Sen. Clinton's website.

For those of you out there who may not have taken a look at Sen. Obama's policies, I encourage you to visit his website if you have any concerns about details.  For those supporters who have been working to correct this misperception, you can download Sen. Obama's "Blueprint for Change," a 64 page document that outlines his positions and proposals on a range of issues.  Print it out, carry it with you, and you'll have something you can pull out for a nice visual effect the next time someone says, but he hasn't provided any details.

Here's a little clip to remind people of how much detail Sen. Obama has provided:

George Lakoff Talks About What the Real Issues Are for Voters

George Lakoff, the visionary scholar of messaging and political communication and author of Don't Think of an Elephant, talks about the overarching principles that distinguish Sen. Obama from Sen. Clinton in this terrific piece of commentary.

He writes,

"First, triangulation: moving to the right -- adopting right-wing positions -- to get more votes. Bill Clinton did it and Hillary believes in it. It is what she means by "bipartisanship." Obama means the opposite by "bipartisanship." To Obama, it is a recognition that central progressive moral principles are fundamental American principles. For him, bipartisanship means finding people who call themselves "conservatives" or "independents," but who share those central American values with progressives. Obama thus doesn't have to surrender or dilute his principles for the sake of "bipartisanship."

This is a point I have endeavored to convey to many of my Democratic friends, particularly those who supported Edwards, and felt that Obama was not sufficiently "strong" enough in his progressivism because of his "feel good" rhetoric.  They wanted a partisan warrior after the defeats inflicted by the ruthless GOP political machine of Karl Rove, Tom Delay, and Dick Cheney.  What I tried to emphasize, and what Lakoff articulates masterfully, is that many people misunderstand Obama's message because when they think of bipartisanship, they think of weak-kneed compromise and horse trading, quid pro quo.  They think of the false bipartisanship of George W. Bush, who demanded you support his policies as a Democrat without question or be labeled a traitor.

The Young, the Naive, the Obama Supporters

A lot of attention has been focused on Obama's support amoung the "young," which I would gather from the discussion generally means everyone from high school through part of their thirties.  It's a group that encompasses several of the contributors to this website, including me.

The debate about this phenomenon seems to largely focus on the importance of having a candidate that inspires the youth and gives them new hope about politics, government, and democracy versus the naivete of youthful idealism.  On the one hand, people praise Obama for his ability to reach a generation that has never known a time when politics and politicians weren't the subject of ridicule or regarded with disdain.  When I grew up, America's innocence had already been lost.  Watergate, Vietnam, and the energy crisis were already just typical features of our political culture.  Even among my high school friends, it was considered bizarre to approach politics unironically.

Iowans: Find Your Caucus Location

The Iowa Caucus, the first major test in our fight to change America, is today, January 03!

If you or someone you know lives in Iowa, you can find your Caucus location by visiting the Obama Iowa HQ Page here.

Those previously registered as Republicans or Independents are permitted to change their party registration at the polls today.

GO OBAMA!!!

Asian American Action Fund of Greater Chicago Endorses Sen. Obama

From the Obama campaign's AAPI HQ blog:

We are very excited to receive the first endorsement of the Asian American Action (AAA) Fund of Greater Chicago.  We recognize the important work that the AAA Fund has done nationally since 1999 to
advance the APA community and its interests so we are both proud and grateful to receive this new chapter of the Fund's support.

Last Monday, the Asian American Action (AAA) Fund of Greater Chicago celebrated its inaugural reception among an enthusiastic crowd of over 150 guests at Phoenix restaurant in the Chinatown area of Chicago.   And just as exciting, the AAA Fund used this occasion to announce that for its first major political endorsement, the Fund would be supporting the candidacy of Barack Obama.   The featured speaker, Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who is an Obama supporter, congratulated the organization for empowering the Asian American community in Illinois and underscored that Senator Obama is committed to achieving the same goals.  Other honored guests included Congressman Danny Davis and Illinois State
Senators Iris Martinez and Kwame Raoul.  The AAA Fund is a progressive political organization that is dedicated to increasing the voice of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community in local, state and federal government by helping to elect APA and other political candidates who have a demonstrated commitment to the community, and by engaging APAs in the political process.

Barack Obama looks forward to not only working with the members of the AAA Fund of Greater Chicago over the coming months and years, but also the entire Asian American and Pacific Islander community in his movement to strengthen opportunities for all Americans.

The Democratic Party is Looking for a Few Good AAPIs!

On a non-Obama related note, the DNC is compiling a "national resume book" of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders interested in working for the Democratic party in various capacities.  There is also an AAPI Political Fair taking place on Friday, November 16, in Washington, DC, connected to this recruiting effort.  If things go as planned in 2008, this resume book could be provided to the Office of Presidential Personnel in a year when they're looking for talented people to fill government positions.  If you can't make it to the fair, there is information in the letter after the jump about how you can participate.

So whether you're an experienced political hand or a newbie looking for an opportunity to serve, check out this opportunity!

More details after the jump:

Obama's Both-And Political Philosophy

There's a terrific column in today's Washington Post about the transformative political philosophy of Barack Obama - the rejection of "either/or" politics for "both/and" politics.  The idea is simple - that Americans recognize that life is rarely about choosing only one of two alternatives, but that the solution to many challenges is to embrace a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach.  Sen. Obama emphasizes that personal responsibility and the values of character and achievement are undeniably critical to success and progress, but upholding these values are not an excuse for society and government to do nothing.  In other words, "conservative" values are not alternatives for "liberal" programs and policies; rather, those values help those very programs and policies succeed.

Unfortunately, the divide-and-conquer mentality of Washington today means that most politicians would rather create false dichotomies to drive wedges between people to win elections instead of bringing people together to move our country forward.  Sen. Obama demonstrates that his rejection of the artificial divides in our politics is more than just a set of catch phrases or feel-good rhetoric; it's a commitment to transforming the orthodoxy that keeps our politics small and petty.

The Moment for This Messenger?

By Eugene Robinson

Tuesday, March 13, 2007;  Page A17

Regarding Barack Obama, it's useful to start with the whole what-is-he thing. Not that there's any question in his mind. "I'm clear about my own identity," Obama said in an interview last week. "I do think that I've become a receptacle for a lot of other people's issues that they need to work out. . . . I've been living with this stuff my whole life."

The reason to begin with the what-is-he issue is that it's a good handle on a key tenet of Obama's political philosophy. He is both an African American and the biracial son of a black Kenyan father and a white American mother; both a product of the streets of Chicago, where he worked as a community organizer, and a son of the streets of Jakarta, where he played as a kid. Obama is the personification of "both-and."

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) campaigns Sunday in West Burlington, Iowa. (By Scott Morgan  --  Getty Images)

He said his belief that American politics has seen enough "either-or" -- and that he can shift the paradigm to "both-and" -- is what led him to undertake "the risks and difficulties and challenges and silliness of a modern presidential campaign."

Responding to the Critics

There are many ways in which critics have questioned the candidacy of Senator Obama.  Perhaps the most play has been given to the whispers of "What will he do when the polish comes off" or "He doesn't have any experience."  Ironically, the skeptical line has been in many ways encouraged by the same media that has supposedly created the superstar image of Senator Obama.  I think a lot of people's concerns are definitely worth exploring, but we should also remember that there is almost no narrative that isn't encouraged by the media itself.

If you look closely, there is plenty of data to answer concerns over Senator Obama.