In Search of Symmetry (Feature) Thousands Across the Nation Protest INS Special Registration (in National News) First Annual Independent Press Convention To Be Held in San Francisco (in Bay Area News) The Art of Self-Recruiting (in Sports) History in the Making (in A&E) Emil Amok: Shaq's Taunt - Prelude to Hate Crimes? (in Opinion)

Presidential Hopeful Edwards Woos South Asians in California

Political consultant Dinesh Sastry and John Edwards in Menlo Park, Calif. Photo by Neela Banerjee.

By Neela Banerjee | AsianWeek

Amid a looming war in the Middle East and a crushing job market, the 2004 presidential race has already begun. Democratic hopefuls include former vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman, Nebraska’s Bob Kerry and rookie senator John Edwards from North Carolina.

Edwards made his way through Northern California last weekend, on a quiet tour just weeks after his announcement of his intent to win the Democratic nomination.

“This is the ground floor of a presidential campaign,” Edwards said cheerfully to a room full of mostly Indian Americans from Silicon Valley who came to meet the candidate.

Often compared to both the Kennedy boys and Bill Clinton, Edwards grew up in a small North Carolina town, raised by working class parents. After a successful law career, Edwards is just finishing up a Senate term that began in 1999. His solid good looks and “champion for the regular people” demeanor has focused an early buzz on the 49-year-old father of three.

The Edwards meet-and-greet was organized by Dinesh Sastry, a Washington D.C.-based political consultant and unofficial advisor to Edwards. Sastry has been involved with the Democratic Party since the past presidential election, when he helped raise over $2 million for Al Gore.

Sastry’s claim to fame is his vision of connecting politically eager Indian Americans with the candidates who can represent them.

“I think it’s important for the Indian American community to build relationships and become involved in the campaigns of national leaders in the early stages because we don’t have the sufficient voting strength presently to affect national policy,” Sastry said. “Our fundraising is also not as organized as it will be, so it is very important to be part of these insider events now being referred to as the “cash primary” because it puts our names, faces and issues out there on the candidate’s radar.”

Some 40 people attended the meet-and-greet event, held at Gaylord Indian Restaurant in Menlo Park, Calif., with a crowd ranging from young South Asian Americans out to network to movie producers in from New York City to entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley.

While the crowd mingled over dessert and coffee, many people expressed an intense dissatisfaction with the current administration, but an uncertainty as to whether any candidate could make a dent in the Republican money machine that swept the 2002 elections.

“We have work to do. I am so optimistic about what needs to be done in America,” Edwards said to the room, after thoughtfully shaking hands and making eye contact with everyone, with Sastry at his side making introductions.

Edwards made sure to address foreign relations, and directed his comments to the Indian Americans in the room.

“It’s just not what we can do as Americans, we can change the way the rest of the world views America. This president, his idea of foreign policy, is to deal with the symptoms: the hot buttons, Saddam Hussein. What is he doing about the underlying problems?” Edwards said. “Of people around the world who not only do not look up to America, but hate America and hate Americans? If we’re not careful, we’re going to breed future generations who feel the same way.”

Edwards added: “I think the same thing applies directly to our relationship with India, the largest democracy in the world and sometimes we don’t treat them with the respect they are entitled to. Not just India, but that’s the way we deal with the world at large and it will have an impact on the future of this country.”

Edwards turned on the charm and the rhetoric, honestly admitting that he needed help and, most importantly, money. One attendee suggested that the Democratic Party needs a new slogan, and that the slogan should be aimed not at the Republican Party but at the president.

“It should be, “Let’s take America back from George W. Bush,” he offered.

To this Edwards replied, “Not a bad slogan. Are you going to charge us for that?”

When asked why the Republicans did so well in the last election if the overwhelming sentiment is that Bush is not in touch with this country, Edwards replied: “I think that, in a couple of ways, we didn’t do the things we should have done before the last election. We need to be the party of ideas, we need to have our own ideas. Not only criticize Bush, but also lay out an alternative vision. So when people go to the polls in 2004, they are thinking Bush is this and the Democrats are this.”

Anmol Mahal, a physician from Fremont, Calif., has been involved with the Democratic Party for over a decade. He hosted a fundraising dinner with Bill Clinton at his home some 12 years ago. At this event, he told Edwards that the North Carolina senator reminds him of the former president.

“You have to have a good message, like the senator says, but that’s not enough. You have to have a messenger, and that’s what the Democratic party needs,” Mahal said. “Gore was a weak messenger, Gephardt is a weak messenger. Daschle is better, but not much. Edwards is a good messenger, he speaks from the heart.”

The Fremont physician believes that the most important issues for the Indian American community are that of equity, in all areas.

“Bush has been addressing some of our needs in the post-Sept. 11 world, but most have been getting lip service,” he said. “As a Sikh, there has been a fair amount of violence against us. I think the Democrats really do a better job, they are more accepting of change.”

Sastry, who was introduced to Edwards a few years ago by mutual friends in the Democratic Party, had full confidence in his candidacy.

“Over the past two years, I’ve found John Edwards to be extremely attentive, persistent and intelligent. He can learn issues quickly and is naturally inclined to fight for civil liberties, fair immigration laws, against discrimination, and for a strong relationship between the United States and India,” Sastry said. “In presidential politics, the winner is determined by an unfortunate cycle that starts with positive media coverage begetting higher poll numbers, resulting in more campaign funds. Edwards has progressed well on the first two phases and now is busy raising the money needed to continue the cycle of good coverage and favorable ratings. We as a community should be part of that process to ensure that we are players.”

Reach Neela Banerjee at nbanerjee@asianweek.com.