Why I’m Voting For Clinton

Comments

1. Did anyone knows the word “politics” came from? It seems like it has the same meaning as the word “polish”. So, politic is only making things go smooth and shinning things up-in reality nothing is true and nothing is real. Therefore, not all asian consitituents will vote Clinton and not all asian constituents will vote for Obama too. Its up to them and the candidates present their cases to certain asian constiuents because most asians do not think that politicians are doing the way they said to you when they go elected. They are all like the word “polish,” only.

   –Vaj on Feb 02, 2008

2. I’m curious to know — why, specifically, are you voting for Clinton? You write that winning the APIA vote is “about leadership, message and organization, a proven track record of success, boots in the field, voices on the air and voices from the heart.”

   And you list several substantial APIA endorsements of Clinton. Why do you think Clinton is the best candidate for APIAs? What in her record makes her the best choice for us? Don’t you think an undecided APIA’s reason to support her should encompass more than who is already supporting her?

   –Jenn on Feb 02, 2008

3. The Asian immigrants and womens voted and decided that they were only going to prosecute men for killing and sexually abusing children.

   –Wendy Tse on Feb 02, 2008

4. Clinton is too divisive to win the general election. Susan Eisenhower, a lifelong Republican, has just endorsed Obama. Other Republicans like and respect Obama, too. Unlike Clinton, Obama can draw crossover votes in a national election. Obama is the candidate who can unite people across the aisle to work toward real solutions for this country.

   –Stella Ngai on Feb 02, 2008

5. Why are you voting for Hillary Clinton? You never alluded to a good reason for supporting her. Overall a badly written piece.

   –Tuan Nguyen on Feb 03, 2008

6. Thank you for asking for the reasons I support Hillary! That article was already published, and this article was intended be an update to that! I hadn’t realized til now that this article was retitled “Why I Support Hillary!” So thanks for bringing that to my attention.

   Here’s the info from the first article I wrote, entitled, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 2008: ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDERS’ #1 CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT, published in the American Chronicle. I’ll be updating this in the next day, so stay tuned!

   Best,

   Elena

   ACCORDING TO THE FIELD POLL’S “Survey of Likely Voters in California’s February 5, 2008 Democratic Presidential Primary” (conducted December 10-17, 2007), HILLARY CLINTON IS CALIFORIA’S DEMOCRATIC FRONTRUNNER.

   HILLARY CLINTON IS CALIFORNIA’S #1 CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT.

   Hillary Clinton is the #1 choice of nearly every California demographic.

   From 18 to 65+, from men to women, from Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) to Non-Hispanic Whites, from Liberals to Conservatives, from union households to non-union households, Hillary Clinton is their #1.

   HILLARY’S TOP 5 STRONGHOLDS ARE:

   1. The Elderly: 45% chose Clinton as their #1, with a 34-point lead over her closest opponent,

   2. The Poor/Middle Class (

   –Elena Ong on Feb 03, 2008

7. Hillary Clinton has done a lot to Asian Americans but Obama has yet to show anything for Asian Americans, not even show the willingness (see the attached article). If one judges on style, we will make the same mistake again as several years ago when the country chose style over substance and voted G. W. Bush in and leave Al Gore out (because he was not inspirational, rigid, and not as likable as GWB). Look what we got. DO NOT LET THE PRESS DECIDE YOUR VOTE, THINK WITH YOUR OWN BRAIN. Press wants a tight race so people will pay attention to them. This is why they have been working very hard against Clintons—Hillary Clinton used to lead as much as 30% over Obama but media took every opportunity to help Obama’s negative campaign. What is scary is that Obama’s campaign has been trying to control the media by telling them what to report what not to report. e.g. they told press not to report vote results in Michigan and Florida. I live in Florida so I know what Obama campaign did: on the outside they told TV stations, news papers not to report the primaries so to discourage Clinton voters but inside their campaign they forcefully ask every their supporter to show up. Obama is not who you see on TV. Please do not be fooled by the image and style in the picture or TV screen.

   –WL on Feb 03, 2008

8. Here is the article I mentioned in the previous message:

   Clinton gets Asian group’s support
   Asian-American PAC decries alleged Obama snub on issues
   By Josh Richman, STAFF WRITER
   Article Last Updated: 01/19/2008 07:31:05 AM PST

   OAKLAND — A national political action committee aimed at unifying the Asian-American vote is supporting Hillary Clinton because Barack Obama snubbed its questions, members said Friday.
   The 80-20 Initiative will urge thousands of voters in its affiliated organizations to pick Clinton in Feb. 5’s Democratic presidential primary, and has committed $30,000 to advertising on her behalf in the Asian ethnic media.
   “80-20 has been more than fair, bent over backwards four different times” to reach out to Obama, 80-20 board member Joel Wong of San Francisco — a former Chinese American Political Associationpresident — said at a news conference Friday in the Oakland Asian Cultural Center.
   Obama’s reticence “shows that he has no respect for us working together,” he added.
   Founded in 1999, 80-20 seeks equal opportunity for Asian Americans by trying to unite them into a voting bloc candidates can’t ignore, ideally directing 80 percent of the community’s votes and money to a single presidential contender.
   “What we’re looking at is the big picture,” 80-20 board member Frank Lee, also president of the Organization for Justice & Equality, said Friday. He said the decision to back Clinton is less an endorsement than an effort “to stop any candidate who does not want to work with us.”
   “This is very cold, very strategic, not emotional,” added Wong. “(Obama) is very charismatic … but just because a person is a minority doesn’t mean he’s going to

   do a lot of good for minority people.”
   Wong said 80-20 California’s Democratic primary offered the most bang for the buck: a large Asian-American population in a state sending a lot of delegates to the convention. Also, he noted, most Asian Americans register as Democrats or without any party affiliation, and unaffiliated voters can vote in the Democratic primary but not in the GOP’s.
   80-20 asked candidates three questions on curbing discrimination — especially workplace “glass ceilings” — and three on appointing more Asian American federal trial and circuit judges. Clinton, John Edwards, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd and Mike Gravel responded affirmatively to all, but Obama balked.
   Wong said he understands Obama’s hesitation to sign anything that could be construed to involve racial quotas, but the questions were redesigned — with the Clinton campaign’s input — to reject such quotas and five white Democratic candidates’ unequivocal support has made it “safe” for Obama to follow suit.
   The Obama campaign, in a Dec. 26 letter to 80-20, said Obama is committed to appointing qualified Asian Americans and “will also build upon his work as a civil rights lawyer and community organizer to end racial discrimination and advance equal opportunity in the workplace and the federal government.”
   “We regret that our staff was unable to reach agreement with leadership of the 80-20 Educational Foundation over concerns with the wording of the questionnaire, despite the fact that modifications to the questionnaire were made for other campaigns,” the letter said.

   Clinton campaign spokesman Luis Vizcaino said Friday that she “is honored to have the endorsement of 80-20. The Asian American and Pacific Islander community has a critical voice that will never go unheard when she is President.”

   http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_8019289

   –WL on Feb 03, 2008

9. What did Clinton do for Asian? Nothing. Only for those that who can come up big $$$$ to support her campaign and for those rich Asian individuals only but if you are poor than you are probably not even come across her agenda. Sure, for certain group of Asian constituents might received a thank you letter from her gate keeper but to herself Asian constituents mean nothing to her at all. Therefore, don’t be too serious about her and Obama.

   Lets look at Asian americans history in this country in the past. No Asian american individuals held any powerful position in the White House only Elaine Chao the former Secretary of Department of Labor. Why Bush appointed her? It was because Bush forseen that he wanted to build relationship with the main land Chinese people other than that Asian americans mean nothing to them. You know why? Because all Asian amercans can not help Obama or Clinton become president. Politicians only care and help those people that can help them become someone else only.

   I think most Asian people do not care to vote.

   –Vaj on Feb 03, 2008

10. I’ll bet you that when the whole Chinese campaign doner scandal hit last year, you wouldn’t have been able to get Hillary Clinton to pose in a picture with a Chinese person for a million bucks.

    The problem with all of these posts is that you all assume that there is a COMMON Asian American interest.

    Why should I care about immigration issues? I am a Chinese American that was born and raised in America.

    National health care? I make a six figure salary. I can already afford decent health care. I like less taxes.

    So what does an American born Chinese man making 150k/yr have in common with a Laotion immigrant living in the projects? What interests are we bound by? That’s the problem with lumping all of Asian America together. We are too diverse to be treated monolithically.

    So we have McCain, who is fond of referring to Asians as “Gooks”. We have Hillary, who wants to increase entitlements and increase taxes, and we have Obama, who is basically a clone of Hillary on most issues. Guiliani, before he dropped out, made speeches about how China was our “enemy” and how we needed to strenghen our military to deal with them. -even though China has never invaded another country in the western hemisphere nor ever sent their troops abroad like the USA has.

    Honestly, none of the candidates really has Asian American interests in mind. The best we can do is vote for the candidates that support things that we want that are not tied to our ethnicity, such as economic policies.

    –Randy on Feb 03, 2008

11. Hello Randy,

    I am partialy agreed with you about what you said “Honestly, none of the candidates really has Asian American interests in mind.” But I don’t agreed with you about you said “So what does an American born Chinese man making 150k/yr have in common with a Laotion immigrant living in the projects? What interests are we bound by? That’s the problem with lumping all of Asian America together. ” You are trying to divide races and you are sound like you are really a racism Asian American man individual. You said that “China has never invaded another country in the western hemisphere nor ever sent their troops abroad like the USA has.” You are wrong. The Chinese backed up Vietnamese during the Vietnam War era politically, economically and arms and same as the Korean War. Currently, the Chinese and Vietnamese are fighting to control the little tiny unpopular country like Laos. You can tell by seeing all big markets and businesses in Vientiane and Luang Prabang and in the northern provinces of Laos are Chinese owned.

    If I have to make a comparison between Chinese americans and Laotian americans. I would say at least the Laotian immigrants are treated with dignity and respect because of their relationship and honest with our US government but the Chinese americans I have to say that they have been treated badly, and at least part of your six figure income goes to the projects.

    If you think carefully, you could have not rise the issue about Laotian immigrants. You are probably too outrage or racism of yourself.

    –Vaj on Feb 04, 2008

12. So, Vaj, koj twb yog Hmoob thiab, who are you going to vote for then?

    –Mai on Feb 04, 2008

13. No, Mai.

    Vaj doesn’t vote for anybody because Vaj knows politics too much.

    –Vaj on Feb 04, 2008

14. Vaj, your post is barely intelligble. The average white person cannot tell the difference between a Chinese American and a Laotian American, so to say that either group is treated differently does not make much sense.

    You also seem to be unable to comprehend my original point, -which is that economics divides the Asian community more than racial concerns unite us. Asian America is simply too diverse to lump together. The model minority stereotype does not help southeast asian immigrant groups that face higher rates of unemployment, poverty, and crime than other east-asian groups.

    –Randy on Feb 04, 2008

15. Why I Support Hillary Clinton, Hon. Judy Chu

    I support Senator Hillary Clinton for President of the United States. Hillary is the best candidate for Asian Pacific Americans and for all Americans. She will return this country to the path of progress. She has a proven track record as an advocate on behalf of America’s real needs, and will be ready to lead on Day One.

    I know that for change to happen, the next person in the White House must be a proven national leader. That person must be strong, intelligent, and compassionate. Hillary Clinton is all of those things.

    Hillary Clinton has an extraordinary amount of experience on the national level as a sitting Senator of our nation. She has 35 years of commitment to public service. She has been through many trying times. Not only did she survive, she has emerged a tough and experienced fighter, and I know that she will fight for us. She will work to help college students get a quality and affordable education, help working people by creating good jobs with good pay, and help the uninsured get the healthcare they need.

    Though she is tough, she is also compassionate. When she graduated from law school, she could have become wealthy working for a corporation. Instead, she chose to work for the Children’s Defense Fund, helping abused and neglected children. Her compassion has been a hallmark of her service all these years.

    But it is her commitment to diversity that impresses me the most. It is not enough to talk in generalities about bringing people together. Instead, one must look at a person’s actions. In her campaign, she was the first to start an API outreach office. An analysis of presidential campaign staffs found hers to be the most diverse, and to have the most Asian Americans. A national Asian American political advocacy group, 80-20, sent a list of 6 questions to all the presidential candidates on such issues as fighting workplace discrimination against Asian Americans and nominating Asian Americans to federal judgeships. Because of her willingness to commit, she earned the sole endorsement of the group.

    Hillary has taken the lead in policy issues important to APA’s, including making family reunification a priority in immigration reform. Many Asian Americans have been the victim of international politics. She has met with over 80 world leaders, is experienced in foreign affairs and will bring America back to its position as a respected world leader. It is no wonder that out of all the presidential candidates, she has the greatest number of endorsements from APA elected officials, including Senator Dan Inouye, Congresswoman Doris Matsui, former Governor Gary Locke and State Controller John Chiang.

    As one of California’s top 12 state constitutional officers and an elected woman myself, I deeply appreciate the strength that Hillary had to possess to get to this historic point in time. Her strength is what this country needs right now.

    Hillary is our best and brightest chance for a better life for all Americans. She deserves to be the next President of the United States.

    –Judy on Feb 05, 2008

16. Hillary Clinton will be best choice for president of the United States.

    Here are my reasons:

    Hillary Clinton will give a boost to the economy. Some of us still remember the good old days of Bill Clinton Administration that created 22 million new jobs, reduced mortgage interests, eliminated the bureaucratic red tape, took people off the welfare and put them to work and left a huge budget surplus. Hillary Clinton is likely to restore those policies that brought prosperity in the life of common citizens. She will end the mortgage crisis due to sub prime interest crisis. She will provide assistance to states and cities in order to mitigate the effects of mounting foreclosures. Senator Clinton believes we need a strong immediate stimulus to jumpstart the economy without negatively affecting our long-term fiscal position. In her opinion, stimulus measures should be targeted toward hardworking families that are most likely to spend new resources, which will ensure that we give our economy an immediate boost. She is the only candidate with a comprehensive plan to keep families in their homes and keep the housing crisis from dragging down the economy.

    Hillary Clinton says she will provide affordable health insurance that will be available to any citizen and will be portable if one changes her/his job. It will offer a choice to millions of Americans to pick an insurance plan that meets the needs of the family and will permit those who are satisfied with their current plan to keep it. No one will remain un-insured under Hillary Clinton’s health care reforms.

    Hillary Clinton has indicated in no uncertain terms that she will end the war in Iraq soon after she takes over the government. Hillary’s roadmap out of Iraq is a plan to end the war before the next president takes the oath of office. But if the Bush administration won’t end the war, the new commander in chief, Hillary Clinton, will. She will immediately start the withdrawal of troops in a responsible fashion and end the combat mission and the occupation by the United States. This will not only end the misery of American people, it will free up funds for domestic policy use.

    Hillary Clinton has a plan to end our dependence on foreign oil. Hillary has proposed an Apollo Project-like program dedicated to achieving energy independence. During the current Administration the price of oil has tripled, with no end of increasing price in sight. As president, Hillary will invest in finding alternate form of energy and will ask Americans to cut down their use of energy by increasing the efficiency of automobiles and other appliances using energy. She says, “the choices we make about energy touch nearly every aspect of our lives. Our economy, our national security, our health, and the future of our planet are all at stake as we make a choice between energy independence and dependence on foreign sources of oil.”

    Hillary has long been a passionate advocate for providing greater educational opportunities to all children. She knows that parents are our children’s first teachers, and the early years have a tremendous impact on their lives. She also knows that we have to improve our K-12 system in order to ensure that every child is prepared to compete, and she has proposed to make college affordable for all. Her plan will offer a fair and equitable chance for all Americans to receive higher education at an affordable cost and no one will be left behind.
    America is ready for a president who fights for our children. From her first job out of law school at the Children’s Defense Fund to her time as First Lady of Arkansas and of the United States to her service in the Senate, helping children has been at the center of Hillary’s public life.

    The policy of unilateral actions of the current occupant of the White House has alienated virtually everyone in the world. Today the respect for America is at the lowest point. The next president’s most urgent task will be to restore America’s standing in the world to promote our interests, ensure our security, and advance our values. America is stronger when we lead the world through alliances. As president, Hillary will lead by the words of the Declaration of Independence, which pledged “a decent respect to the opinions of mankind.”

    Hillary’s historic statement in 1995 that “women’s rights are human rights” still echoes worldwide. As a lawyer, advocate, First Lady, and senator, Hillary has fought for issues important to women here at home and around the world for decades. Hillary will continue her lifelong fight to ensure that all Americans are treated with respect and dignity.

    Hillary said the other day, “Americans are ready for a government that puts competency ahead of cronyism. For the past seven years, we’ve had an administration that has contempt for government. And because they view it with contempt, they treat it with contempt. We need a return to transparency and a system of checks and balances, and a 21st century government to meet our 21st century challenges.”

    Hillary has indicated that fair and honest elections are the bedrock of a successful democracy. Yet we have seen abuses in national elections since 2000 that have undermined our democracy and Americans’ faith in our electoral system. America has been sending observers to monitor elections in the third world countries, but the elections of 2000 clearly proved that America needs a change in its electoral process. Hillary is a leading champion of election reform. She has introduced the Count Every Vote Act to avoid repeating the problems of the past and ensure the integrity of our elections.
    America has been described as the country of immigrants. People have come to these shores from all corners of the world. By their intellect, entrepreneurship, education and hard work, they have tremendously contributed to the success of American society in all spheres. And yet, our immigration system is in crisis. The laws we currently have on the books are inadequate and no longer serve our best interests. As a nation, we place a premium on compassion, respect, and policies that help families, but our immigration laws don’t reflect that. Hillary has consistently called for comprehensive immigration reform that respects our immigrant heritage and honors the rule of law. Her immigration reforms will respect the family re-unification provisions, important to recent immigrants.

    Finally, Indian Americans have special affinity for Hillary Clinton. No other candidate has raised more money from the Indian America community than Hillary Clinton. More Americans who trace their roots to India are working for Hillary Clinton. Her chief policy advisor is an Indian American, Neera Tanden, her constant companion during her travels is Huma Abedin, a daughter of an Indian father, and score of other Indian Americans are supporting her candidacy throughout the nation. She has close ties with many Indian Americans, such as Sant Singh Chatwal, Mike Patel and Bal Das. Bill Clinton appointed more Indians at higher positions than any president before him. He said his administration would look like America with the ethnic diversity. Hillary Clinton is likely to follow the same principle. She will select the best and brightest people for her Administration, no matter what the color of their skin or the shape their eyes is.

    Rajen Anand

    –Raj on Feb 05, 2008

17. Hillary knows and appreciates the rich diversity and history of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community and recognizes that AAPIs have played an integral part of our American story.

    As President, Hillary is committed to ensuring that our nation’s policies respond to the needs and interests of the AAPI community.

    Hillary will promote an agenda that provides the opportunity, support and tools AAPIs need to fulfill the American dream.

    To honor this commitment, Hillary will continue to:

    · Fight against racial discrimination:
    · Reform our immigration system and prioritize reuniting families;
    · Make college affordable and accessible;
    · Provide for universal healthcare;
    · Support small businesses; and
    · Engage our international partners, especially in Asia, to promote democracy and human rights in the world.

    –CH on Feb 05, 2008

18. To Randy,

    Want to know how intelligence are you? If you are very intelligence you could have not been with us. Your English may little bit better than my no question about it. Who knows? I may know more than you. I am pretty sure I have more experience than you. Hahahahha.

    –Vaj on Feb 05, 2008

19. Super Tuesday. It was a big win for Hillary Clinton, and a big win for Asian American Pacific Islanders.

    By Super Tuesday, the majority of Asian American Pacific Islanders in America had the opportunity to cast their vote for the next President of the United States.

    With that end goal in mind …. electing Hillary Clinton 44th President of the United States, AAPIs for Hillary galvanized the AAPI Vote for Hillary Clinton in Nevada, and AAPIs for Hillary set their sights on delivering four big Super Tuesday wins: California, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts.

    And we won: NV. CA. NJ. NY. MA.

    California was Super Tuesday’s biggest prize.

    In California, 75% of AAPIs, 69% of Hispanics, and the majority of Women and Whites, delivered California’s Vote for Hillary Clinton for President.

    As one of the Southern California Co-Chairs of AAPIs for Hillary, and a Member of the Women for Hillary Leadership Council, I’m thrilled that 75% of California’s Asian American Pacific Islander Democrats/Independents delivered, by a 3:1 ratio, Hillary Clinton for President.

    Hillary Clinton is the #1 Choice of AAPIs.

    Why?

    Of all the presidential candidates, Hillary has the respect of the AAPI community because she has a proven track record championing the issues AAPIs care about: quality education, the economy, job creation, universal health coverage/access, quality of life: housing/jobs/transportation/environmental balance, immigration policy, and constitutional rights (human rights, civil rights, voting rights, women’s rights, etc.).

    Of all the presidential candidates, Hillary has the largest percentage of AAPIs on her political staff. Her top policy advisor is Neera Tanden, an attorney of Indian-American descent.

    Of all the presidential candidates, Hillary has the largest number of endorsements from nationally renown AAPI elected officials, including former Governor Gary Locke* (WA), Governor of Tagiola Tulafono (America Samoa), US Senator Daniel Inouye (HI) and Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA).

    Of all the presidential candidates, Hillary stands head and shoulders above the rest with the endorsements of California’s top AAPI electeds: Former Secretary of State March Fong Eu*, State Controller John Chiang, Board of Equalization Chair Judy Chu, Assemblymember Mike Eng, Assemblymember Warren Furutani, Assemblymember Mary Hayashi, Assemblymember Fiona Ma and Assemblymember Alberto Torrico; City/County Officials Hon. Henry Chang (Oakland), Hon. Clara Chu (San Francisco), Hon. Albert Huang (San Gabriel), Hon. David Lau (Monterey Park), Hon. Otto Lee (Sunnyvale), Hon. Laura Lee (Cerritos), Hon. Evan Low (Campbell), Hon. Polly Low (Rosemead), Hon. Suja Lowenthal (Long Beach), Hon. Henry Manayan* (Milpitas), Hon. Madison Nguyen (San Jose), Hon. Jean Quan (Oakland), Hon. Phil Ting (Oakland), Hon. Kris Wang (Cupertino), Hon. Judy Wong (Temple City), and Hon. Anthony Wong (Monterey Park), and Education Leaders Hon. Edwin Chau (Montebello), Hon. Victor King (Glendale), Hon. KimOanh Nguyen-Lam (Garden Grove), Hon. Mark Pulido (Cerritos), Hon. Anna Song (Santa Clara), and Hon. Tony Vang (Fresno).

    Of all the presidential candidates, Hillary has the largest and most diverse national organization of Asian American Pacific Islanders for Hillary, which includes community leaders of Cambodian-American, Chinese-American, Filipino-American, Hmong-American, Indian-American, Japanese-American, Korean-American, Middle Eastern-American, Pacific Islander, Samoan American, Taiwanese-American, Thai-American and Vietnamese-American descent.

    Hillary’s Super Tuesday Victory in California is a tribute to the leadership of Irene Bueno, the National Consultant to AAPIs for Hillary, and the network of AAPIs for Hillary nationally, and in California, who worked together to deliver 75% of California’s AAPI Vote for Hillary Clinton for President.

    We couldn’t have achieved Hillary’s California win without AAPIs for Hillary Co-Chairs Raj Anand, Alice Bulos, Hon. John Chiang, Hon. Judy Chu, Hon. Mike Eng, Hon. Mary Hayashi, Hon. Otto Lee, Hon. Suja Lowenthal, Hon. Fiona Ma, Charmaine Manansala, Hon. Henry Manayan, Hon. Doris Matsui, Hon. KimOanh Nguyen-Lam, Elena Ong, Jim Park, Mona Pasquil, Dang Pham, Julie Soo, Trung Ta, Keith Umemoto, and Alicia Wang by writing op-eds, being surrogate speakers, reaching out to AAPI Voters at Hillary rallies and AAPI debates, participating as AAPI Voices Across America, conducting Merchant Walks and “In-Language” GOTV in AAPI communities throughout California, in Cerritos, Chinatown, Historic Filipinotown, Fresno, Koreatown, Little Tokyo, Little Saigon, Milpitas, Monterey Park, Montebello, Oakland, Thaitown, San Francisco, San Jose, Silicon Valley and Temple City for California’s Super Tuesday win.

    We couldn’t have achieved Hillary’s California win without AAPIs for Hillary Leaders and Super Volunteers Junelle Cavero, Trung Dang, Sandy Hoa Dang, Jonathan Geaga, Joselyn Geaga Rosenthal, Sumi Haru, Emma Hilario, Melissa Hilario, Ellen Huang, Mani Kang, Hon. Laura Lee, Ricky Lee, Guila Maramba, Ferial Masry, Greg Matsunami, Nalini Natarajan, John Phi, Hon. Mark Pulido, Mony Sing, Hoa Tran, Ken Trumkul and Pei Wang.

    Today, AAPIs throughout America are celebrating Lunar New Year with Super Tuesday wins!

    We open up the Lunar New Year poised to win Washington and Hawaii for Hillary, and poised to empower AAPI voters throughout California. After all, California’s AAPIs account for nearly 40% of America’s AAPI Vote. In 2004, two-thirds of California’s 1.1 million AAPI voters voted for John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential Election, and our goal is to register and empower 2.5 million California AAPIs who will be eligible to vote for Hillary Clinton for President in November, 2008.

    Together, we are Team California. Together, we delivered California’s vote for Hillary: 75% of AAPI voters, 69% of Latino voters, the majority of White Women and White voters, and a significant number of Native American, African-American, young, middle aged, elderly, youth, and LGBT voters.

    Thank you all for achieving this victory!

    Onward to victory in November, 2008 and beyond!

    –Elena Ong on Feb 06, 2008

20. After Super Tuesday. I have not heard or see anybody and media talks about Asian Americans voters. All I saw were White, Black and Latino voters okay.

    You all know that Asian Americans voters are not in their agendas. I feel sorry for those Asian Americans Constituents that worked very hard for all the candidates. Why? I don’t know but what I know is that all qualified Asian Americans voters alone could not help them become president so there is no way we are in their agendas. So, best way for us is to waite and vote on general election.

    –Vaj on Feb 06, 2008

21. Vaj,

    You may like to know the following quote from S.F. Chronicle:

    “Asians were a surprise,” said Bruce Cain, director of the University of California’s Washington Center. “It’s the first (presidential) election we have seen where Asian voters were a big factor. They are about 8 percent of the Democratic electorate….”

    In a few days, more of the election industry’s data miners might find this out. Hope that the McCain camp will also pay attention and sign up with 80-20.

    –Wei on Feb 07, 2008

22. “Honestly, none of the candidates really has Asian American interests in mind. The best we can do is vote for the candidates that support things that we want that are not tied to our ethnicity, such as economic policies.”

    Exactly Randy I can not understand for the life of me how education, better healthcare, economic growth is a Latino or Asian American thing. Hillary and Obama are one in the same . When the world competes against America they are not looking at Asian, African, or Latino Americans they see Americans period.Also of course she would have a majoriity of Latinos and Asian Americans on her staff how else could she win the vote but a lady who was a staunch supporter of Barry Goldwater won’t all of a sudden change her stripes, it’s very much in her and I’ll let the people figure that out. If one thinks Hillary is for Asian Americans or Latino Americans(considering young Latino American males are fighting in Iraq right now)one better think again.

    –dwilliams on Feb 08, 2008

23. Vaj, if I could understand what the heck you were saying, I might be able to respond. So I guess I’ll do the “intelligent” thing and just ignore you.

    –Randy on Feb 08, 2008

24. Please find an effective way to alert asian americans dat voting for Obama would be a very bad thing for all asian americans because black people often dislike asians and so when there are more black people in authorities then asians will have a harder time facing them everywhere we go. Young asians often don’t know about that fact because either they don’t go out to work yet or haven’t been in places where black people are in authorities for instance; they don’t have much experience and often naively believe that a black president will help asians as much as black people while in fact asians face more discriminations from black people than from white.

    –chris on Feb 29, 2008

25. Media is damaging the whole election. Mrs. Clinton is the best for to be the President. I only hear on TV showes jellousy,and dividing words black and white poeple this is sick. It is time to stop this stupid talk. TV is dividing all people, did you got extra bonus for dumping down Mrs. Clinton?. Beacuse she is a women she must suffer from jeouloes politician. You want to know that I am registered republican and I will vote for Clinton only.Thank you

    –Charlotte on May 09, 2008

26. Obama wouldn’t work with 80-20 specifically because he doesn’t sell himself out to interest groups. I don’t blame 80-20 for trying to increase asian influence by forming a voting block. However that’s essentially the same method of politics that republicans perfected to the detriment of the country over the last 40 years. If you care about yourself more than you care about the betterment of the country and everyone in it, just vote republican.

    And in response to the comments by chris, you either don’t understand racism or don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. If you assume that solely because Obama is black (in fact multiracial, spent much of youth in asia, etc) he will do things to harm you, then you are judging him negatively based on his race alone.

    In general you all seem to support Hillary because a) she has the endorsements of powerful asians or b) because she has a few more asians on her staff than obama does. You say “proven track record” alot, but she has barely any more legislative experience than obama, and failed at most of what she tried to achieve as first lady. Civil rights issues–Obama was a civil rights litigator!

    Think people! And give real arguments! Don’t be monolithic!

    –jim wong on May 10, 2008

27. Wow!
    This is wonderful.
    Talk about “model” “minorities”!
    Art Hu, where the Hell are you when we need you most?
    Randy, I hope you are simply being worldly and wise when you equate your 150G annual income with parity with the movers and shakers.
    I have news for you: One serious “illness” for you or yours will reduce you to the status of the rest of us “minority” pilgrims and wannabes.
    As for what you have “in common” with a Laotian or Cambodian immigrant, tt’s your face, kiddo.
    The Great Unwashed have not Idea-1 as to any possible differentiations here. To them, by way of their “free” and “democratic” media, you are NO different from those er, ah, “fresh off the boat.”
    “vaj” has his points, and, maybe, even Elena Ong.
    Bottom line here: I admire Jim Wong and agree with him “totally,” well as totally as is humanly possible.
    Aside here to Ace: “language” is ever imprecise, and, especially because those who write may be imprecise, and, for sure, those who “read” may scan too hastily or inaccurately.
    In any event, whatever 0ne’s language, it is ONLY the intent that matters.
    In these “columns” and these “pages” and these plaints and these causes, ultimately, all that counts is what evolves to be the “facts” of the “case,” such as it can or may be.
    Most of the musings aforegoing have proved, in a few short weeks, to be relativey irrelevant.
    Clinton is OUT of it. Obama is IN. And McCain is the Devil’s Advocate for all that has gone wrong in far too many places on this globe, and almost as superannuaed as I.
    Today’s and yesterday’s online blogs relevant hereto include Johann Hari’s Info Clearing House piece on
    “anti-Semitism,” now, there’s a rival for our attention; a Counterpunch piece on the continuing ungodly saga in Beirut and our sanctimonious participation therein; an Alex Cockburn piece on the sad and unaddressed probs of our sick and sickened vets from Iraq and Afghanistan; the paradoxical paradigm of a “Burmese” “junta” still EXPORTING rice even as they are selectively admitting “humanitarian” aid grains stamped with their own imprimaturs of generosity (please note here that Sarkozy’s France has been noted in at least one headline lsst week as prom0ting UN “force” to get aid to the stricken natives; sorta like our Vietnam War generals who lamented it was necessary to torch the village and kill the villagers to “save” them from”communism”); and, on minor, minaory, note, yesterday’s accounts in the LATimes about a major “riot” in South L.A.’s Locke High School, here between “black” and “Chicano” “gangs.”
    It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to diagnose these societal ills and paranoias.
    And they are ALL the product and propaganda of the sad and sick “elite” that rules this nation and most of the rest of this so-called “civilized” world.
    And I reiterate, the Counterpunch or Info Clearing House piece on the Rockefeller “fable” is a must read in this regard.
    Guys: the issue is, do you, individually, choose to “love” or “hate”?
    And neither your “gender” nor your predilections, your “race” or “color” or “creed” matters.
    Only your individual “choice.”
    Me, I vote Obama here, the least of the worst and the best of the remaining “hope.”
    As for Billary, gee, and I so admired the “charisma” AND the “intelligence.”
    Frank Eng
    P.S.: Randy, never fear, long before you were born, some other “Chinese” sage observed that the race was a “pan”? of “scattered” “sands.” Indeed.

    –Frank Eng on May 10, 2008

Post your comments.

Comments using inappropriate language will not be posted. AsianWeek reserves the right to re-publish comments, into "Letters to the Editor," in which case, we reserve the right to edit comments for length and style. If you would like to write a letter to our editor, please email: asianweek@asianweek.com.