Konrad's Blog

Thank You!

Konrad Ng — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:54:05 EST

Thank you from our AAPI Vote Director and Deputy Director:

Our heartfelt thanks and gratitude for your hard work and commitment. Because of your canvassing, fundraising, phone-banking, and advocacy, Barack Obama was elected to the presidency. When Barack Obama was elected President, it forever changed the way generations of AAPIs view their government and themselves. This election was not just about making history... it was about creating possibility.
We are very proud of the work of the AAPI Vote Team staff: Daphne, Jordannah, Sid, Jian, Poonam, and Patrice. We are grateful to our AAPI Executive, Steering, Finance, and Leadership Committees. Of course, we would not be here were it not for the countless numbers of AAPI staff and volunteers who worked long hours for Barack and Joe.
We hope you take the moment to relish this transformative victory and to reflect on your hard work. We are so proud of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community for this victory – one that will be remembered for many decades to come.
In unity,
Charmaine and Betsy

Thank you from Maya and I:

We thank you for your expressions of love and sympathy on the passing of our beloved Tutu, Madelyn Dunham. Tutu was the matriarch of this family, and, although she is not here with us in body, we all felt her powerful spirit with us during this historic event.
Over the past 21 months, our AAPI Vote Team and AAPI staff and volunteers have worked hard and achieved much. Thank you for being our bridge to the Asian and Pacific Islander American community. Thank you for making this campaign possible. Millions of people have come together with the purpose of making our country a better place, and we are truly proud and honored to be part of this movement for change.
With Barack's victory, our country now begins a new chapter. This chapter will require all of us to continue our efforts and to understand that our work is only beginning. We have much to do in order to unite and to improve this country, and we look forward to continuing our common purpose.

VOTE!

Konrad Ng — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 01:03:25 EST

“Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more - and it is time for our generation to answer that call.
For that is our unyielding faith - that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it.
[…]
That is our purpose here today.
That's why I'm in this race.
Not just to hold an office, but to gather with you to transform a nation.
I want to win that next battle - for justice and opportunity.
I want to win that next battle - for better schools, and better jobs, and health care for all.
I want us to take up the unfinished business of perfecting our union, and building a better America.
And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching before us; if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe past and future generations, then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be done, and usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth.”
– Barack Obama, February 10, 2007.

Vote and make history.

Last Day

Konrad Ng — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 19:57:44 EST

Aloha, everyone. I wanted to share an email from our talented New Media Department.

Highlighting major videos, unique videos, and others that might have fallen through the cracks, from HQ and state video folks, from the recent past.
For videos from Friday October 31, 2008 through Monday November 3, 2008.
Again, an amazing output of videos these last few days, as spotlighted by CNN here
1. A number of final inspirational videos from HQ and the states: HQ (with the road team’s beautiful HD footage), NC, PA, VA, MO, FL, MI.
2. Matthew Broderick for Take the Day Off
3. Springsteen and the Obamas in Cleveland
4. Wilco in Madison, WI
5. Ethel and Max Kennedy on Barack
6. Making It Count
7. Michelle Surprises a New Mexico Field Office
8. Video Message from Konrad Ng
9. What Keeps Me Going
10. World’s Biggest Obama Supporter
VIDEO FROM THE VAULT:Iowa Caucus Victory Speech
They said our sights were set too high, that this country was too divided, too disillusioned, to ever come together around a common purpose. You have done what the cynics said we couldn’t do.
Worth a watch if you have the time.

Finally, thank you your well wishes during this difficult time. Read the statement from Barack and Maya about their grandmother, Tutu. And read Barack’s comments about Tutu at the rally in Charlotte, N.C.

2 Days

Konrad Ng — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:23:24 EST

Are you a lawyer or a law student? Join our Obama Voter Protection Program and help make this election a fair one.

Not a lawyer? We still need your help. Visit http://my.barackobama.com/AAPIgetinvolved and don’t forget to VOTE!.

AAPIs in the news: Watch CNN reporter, Betty Nguyen, explore the Asian American vote during this election..

Today’s GOTV pictures:

3 Days

Konrad Ng — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:58:30 EDT

Aloha, everyone. A few moments ago, the campaign sent this email:

Konrad --
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have been stepping up across the nation to help bring the change we need.
But with only days until Election Day, your support is more important than ever.
We've put together a video about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders getting involved to help Barack.
Watch the video, then sign up to help in the final push:
Watch the video and get involved
Everything will come down to these last few days. No matter what anyone says, this election will be decided on the ground, by dedicated people helping to get out the vote.
We're almost there. And we need you to take us over the finish line.
Watch the video and take action to make sure we bring the change we need:
http://my.barackobama.com/AAPIgetinvolved
With your help, we can make history and change our country.
Thank you for all that you're doing,
Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders for Obama
Last chance to donate.
Volunteer to get out the vote.

Pictures of what we’re doing on the ground in Pennsylvania:

Kal Penn in Columbia County where they signed-up over 100 GOTV volunteers in 2 hours.

Volunteer Ling in Philadelphia’s Chinatown reaching out to voters and letting them know about polling places and assistance for people with language requirements.

Finally, if you haven’t already done so, VOTE (and bring 5 of your friends to do the same). Find your polling place now.

4 Days

Konrad Ng — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:49:17 EDT

Aloha, everyone. Maya and I watched Barack’s American Stories, American Solutions: 30 Minute Special. We felt that the video clearly outlined Barack’s stance on the issues and showed how Barack understands the challenges we face today. However, after all that is said and done by Barack and Joe, the promise of this campaign and the future of this great country depend on what you do in the remaining days until the election. To paraphrase how Obama blogger, Arun, put it:

In the next four days, you can knock on doors if you live in battleground state.

In the next four days, you can travel to a battleground state.

In the next four days, you can make phone calls.

In the next four days, you can donate to the Obama campaign and possibly join Barack on Election Night.

And most importantly, in four days, you can VOTE. Find your polling place now.

With your help, in four days we can change the direction of a nation and make history.

Our National AAPI Vote Director, Charmaine, has been in a Nevada for almost two months. Today, she sent these pictures of AAPI Obama supporters (and some from my home state of Hawai‘i) in Las Vegas.

Tonight, we’re looking for friends to bring with us on Nov. 4. But check out this Pumpkin for Change, skillfully carved by Nancy from Honolulu, HI. Nancy worked with our beloved Tutu many years ago and she wanted to show her (festive) support for Obama.

6 Days

Konrad Ng — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 04:28:11 EDT

This campaign has been about you. Help fulfill the promise of this campaign. Help change the political map. Help make history:

Watch this Obama video featuring Kal Penn as he discusses our program http://adoptfive.barackobama.com. Learn how to organize people around you by adopting five voters.

Betsy, our National AAPI Vote Deputy Director, shared this CBS News segment on Asian Americans and the election. The clip features Obama supporter Hung. Hung is a valued member of our AAPIs for Obama Leadership Council. Betsy, Hung and many other AAPI supporters have been working hard in Virginia.

AAPIs in the news: Read this article from the San Jose Mercury News about how young Vietnamese Americans are embracing Obama.

Finally, I wanted to express our thanks (again) to the hundreds of people who sent us cards, flowers and well wishes for our beloved Tutu. Your thoughtfulness gives our family precious comfort. Thank you!

9 Days

Konrad Ng — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 16:11:01 EDT

Philadelphia’s Chinatown has been a hotbed of grassroots organizing for us. Many of the neighborhood’s residents and small business have donated time and space to the campaign. Last week, Congressman Mike Honda (CA-15) (a tireless campaigner for us and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and Vice Chair of the Democratic National Committee), joined dozens of Asian American community leaders, organizations and elected officials from Philadelphia, New York City and San Francisco as they endorsed Barack Obama and Joe Biden. At the forum, AAPI leaders and organizations encouraged the AAPI community to canvass, phone call and volunteer for the campaign. Here are some photos (thanks to Obama supporter Mateo).

Mateo writes this about his support of Obama:

A swing state is defined as a state which has a good chance of voting for either the Democratic or Republican presidential candidate. My state, Pennsylvania, is one of these battleground states, and one in which Asians and Pacific Islanders form 5% of the voting bloc. I am an API American from Philadelphia and would like to see my state's 21 electoral votes go to Barack Obama for the next president of the United States. After eight years of a failed Republican administration under Bush, a failed war, a failed economy, and failed GOP policies, the choice is clear. McCain really is McSame. He voted against funding for Minority Health Services that we need desperately for the Southeast Asian community here in the United States and opposes the DREAM Act. I support Barack Obama because he will provide leadership for this country and he will be the change that this country needs. I support him because he will reform immigration laws, invest in small businesses and education, and provide universal health care.

There are 9 days until the election. We need everyone’s help to talk to undecided voters and help get out the vote. You determine the outcome of this election. Join our Last Call for Change or Join us on the ground

Update: Read this AP story about Asian American and the 2008 election.

Growing Asian-American vote sheds passive past
By Jesse Washington
LORTON, Va. (AP) — For a long time, says Loc Pfeiffer, his fellow Asian-Americans were passive participants in American politics. But things are changing.
"Asians don't like confrontation or being adversarial, but that's politics," says Pfeiffer, a 41-year-old lawyer who was 6 when his parents brought him to America from Vietnam.
"The more we're raised and bred here, the less likely we are to be passive. So much of our culture, it's a very, very obedient culture. ... You don't argue with the government. You don't argue with Big Brother. There's the assumption that you give up all your individual rights for the whole. Which is astounding to me, because I'm American now."
An assertive Asian America matters, especially in places like Virginia and Nevada, swing states where Asians have been growing in numbers and influence.
With a booming population of highly educated, increasingly Americanized voters, this former "silent minority" is entering the most engaged and visible era of its political history.
The number of Asians in the United States has grown 25 percent in the last seven years, to 15 million, said Jane Junn, an associate professor of political science at Rutgers University. Educated people are more likely to vote, and 50 percent of the Asian population has a college degree, compared with 25 percent of the U.S. population, Junn said.
"There comes a point where there's a critical mass," said Junn, whose parents were born in Korea. "When you're only one person out of 100, you're very self-conscious about (becoming politically active). But there is power in numbers."
Asian attitudes toward the two presidential candidates are as varied as the nations stretching from India to Malaysia to Japan, lumped into one racial category by the U.S. Census.
Yet some say Barack Obama's rise from humble origins resonates with many Asians who value education and hard work as the keys to success and have been forced to fit their heritage into an American framework.
In a recent column for the San Francisco Chronicle, writer Jeff Yang was even inspired to riff on President Clinton's honorary black membership and ask if Obama's background — parental academic pressure, struggle for identity, guilt-wielding mother, Harvard education — would make him the first Asian-American president.
"So much of what we deal with is the notion of being outsiders, foreigners, of being outside the social dialogue of the United States," Yang said in an interview. "You look at Obama and those are some of the same aspersions and slanders being cast at him. He's kind of the closest thing we can have legally to an immigrant in the White House. He's somebody who understands this journey that Asian-Americans and other immigrants have made."
Obama also spent much of his youth in Hawaii, with its Asian-American majority, and in Indonesia. Obama's half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, is the daughter of his white mother and an Indonesian businessman, and has helped reach out to the Asian-American community.
Yang added that his Taiwan-born parents, who had never voted for a Democratic presidential candidate, were seriously considering Obama.
News of Yang's Obama proclamation inspired hearty laughter at the gathering of a half-dozen lawyers at the home of 65-year-old Paul Nguyen in Lorton. Although many had voted Republican in the past, all but one planned to vote for Obama.
Read the rest of the article here

Last Call For Change Phonebank

Konrad Ng — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 05:22:04 EDT

The election is in 10 days. It’s crucial that supporters like you reach out to potential voters in key states. Share why you support the Obama-Biden ticket and let them know how they can be part of this campaign. All you need is a phone, friends and we’ll take care of the rest. Make a difference this weekend: Last Call For Change

Read this note from Kal Penn. Kal is one of our many extraordinary Obama volunteers (and a talented actor)!

October 24, 2008
A year ago this month, a friend and I signed up to volunteer for Barack Obama's Presidential campaign. It was the primary season, and winter was on its way to Iowa. Barack was down 30 points in the polls, and as we trekked through the snow on our way to knock on doors, it seemed that it may take something close to a miracle to change the course of the election.
Of course, it didn't take a miracle to turn the election around - and it didn't even take a dime of lobbyist money. But, it did take the passion and support of thousands of ordinary individuals like you and me.
If you're looking for a way to make a difference…you can do it NOW. In 2004, only about 35% of AAPIs voted in the battleground states. You can easily change that by coming to Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina or Florida to mobilize the AAPI community to vote - and bring real change to our country.
Sign Up Here: http://my.barackobama.com/driveforchange
All over the country, countless volunteers and staffers are knocking on doors, making phone calls, and registered new voters as part of this historic campaign for change. It is up to us. We can accept four more years of failed Bush policies by electing John McCain and Sarah Palin…Or, we can bring about real change by working to elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
To join us on the ground, please go to http://my.barackobama.com/driveforchange
Polls fluctuate. But your commitment, the hard work and dedication of our staffers and volunteers, and Barack's resolve remain steady and strong. Please join us.
- Kal Penn

And read Barack’s letter celebrating Diwali – Festival of Lights

October 24, 2008
Dear Friends,
Thank you for the opportunity to share a few thoughts with you as we near the night of Diwali. In the coming days, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and their friends of all faiths will gather across America and around the world to celebrate the Festival of Lights. Much has happened in the world since the last Diwali, and this is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year past and rededicate ourselves to spreading peace and tolerance in the coming year.
Last year, I wrote that Diwali’s celebration of the triumph of illumination over ignorance had a special meaning for me. At that time, traveling across America and meeting people ofevery spiritual and ethnic background showed me that there’s much more that unites us than divides us. Now, one year later, I believe this even more strongly.
Americans, despite our varied backgrounds, believe that all people are created equal, and that each person should be free to practice or not practice religion as they choose. These beliefs have faced challenges at home and abroad throughout history, but they are the beliefs our nation was founded on, and we always return to them.
If I’m elected President of the United States, I will work to renew America’s moral leadership in the world. This is our time to create change, and I believe that we can and must continue the fight against ignorance and intolerance. I hope you enjoy your celebration and renew your commitment to overcoming ignorance. I wish you all the best for a joyous Diwali.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama

Some Items To Share

Konrad Ng — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 20:46:56 EDT

Across this great nation, our grassroots supporters are making calls, knocking on doors and hosting house parties. Earlier today, our AAPI Vote Team sent an email that listed over 50 AAPI events taking place across the nation! Read our AAPI Blueprint for Change and explore how you can help. Some other items that caught my attention:

An announcement from the DNC

Today is Thursday, October 23rd. The election is in 12 days and if you’re hearing rumors about the rules around voting, get the facts at the Obama campaign’s new web site: http://truth.voteforchange.com. It’s a terrific resource where we de-bunk e-mail rumors, myths and misconceptions about voting.

Read Barack’s interview on page 16 of Desi Talk Chicago

“In an interview, Senator Barack Obama elaborates on a wide range of issues, from his determination to address the issue of comprehensive immigration reforms, making globalization and trade work for American workers, to seeking the active participation of Indian American community in the process of change that he has advocated”

Watch this campaign video about Maya and Barack’s mother and learn more about the woman “who was the single constant” in their lives.

Read this Q&A with Maya in Salon.

Tea with Barack Obama's sister: Maya Soetoro-Ng on her "awesome" big brother, his early presidential leanings and their mother's legacy of hope
By Stuart Coleman
Oct. 23, 2008
[…]
Did you ever imagine Barack becoming president?
There was this joke in our childhood that he was going to be the first African-American president ... but it was based on the fact that he was so bossy and he was always winning arguments! You know, he was always trying to tell people what to do so we were like, "Oh, yes, Mr. President!" There's a difference between a family joke and having a real concrete understanding. No, I didn't think that this would happen, or even could happen, until perhaps just after the 2004 Democratic convention when he made that big speech.
What changed after that speech?
He started being recognized and people started really investing their own hopes and aspirations in him, and there were these Draft Obama movements all over the country. But even then, we thought, "All right, the Senate, that's big -- you can effect a lot of change with that." We weren't really thinking beyond that.
When did you first learn that he had aspirations for the nation's highest office?
I remember a few years ago going into his office, and he was pacing and frustrated, and I said, 'What's wrong?' This is in Chicago in his home office. He said, "I don't know. I feel like I'm floundering, like I'm not doing what I'm supposed to be doing, that I could be doing more, that I haven't quite found my path, my mission." I started laughing at him because I was like, "You are the only guy who could be a state senator, a law professor and a civil rights lawyer and feel like you're underachieving." The big joke became, "Finally, you're not underachieving!"
What was Barack like as a big brother?
He was an amazing big brother. I've obviously said that a lot, but I mean it. He really was much more attentive than anyone his age could be expected to be.
As a teenager, you went to stay with Barack when he was working as a community organizer in Chicago. Is this when you feel like you began to know him as an adult and an individual?
He was in his 20s so he was pretty young to be taking over the care of his teenage sister. He took me to several colleges around the country to help me make the good decision about where to go to school. He let me stay with him and helped me get my first job. He took me to festivals and fairs and museums. He enrolled me in classes at the Art Institute of Chicago, and I studied dance there. He was awesome! He showed me his life and an impressive dedication to service. I was a teenager then, and our relationship really hasn't changed.
Is it strange seeing what a national and international phenomenon your brother has become?
It's kind of like I'm loaning him out to the rest of the world. I get a wee bit less of him, but he's still the same guy. I don't feel like there's a huge disconnect between the man I see on the television and the man who calls me at night. The smile is the same, the sense of humor is the same, and the ears are the same, and the voice is the same. And it's the same with his politics. He's working now to represent more people, to be more broadly inclusive in his representation. He can't really afford to think, "Who am I?" Now, it's more like, "Who are we as a nation? Or who do we want to be? And how can I help facilitate a stronger, broader, unified identity?"
Read the rest of the article here.

Get Out The Vote

Konrad Ng — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:41:49 EDT

Aloha, everyone. Read this Washington Post article about the presidential campaign in Virginia and the role of Asian Americans: Asian Americans Feeling the Power: Ethnic Groups See Opportunity to Affect Outcome of Presidential Race in Va

Asian American voters in Virginia, highly organized and registered in record numbers, have become energized by the presidential race and the role they see themselves playing in this tightly contested state.
"This is the first time I've seen multiethnic coalitions forming around an election. The margin is razor-thin in Virginia, so we could still be a swing vote," said Nguyen Dinh Thang, executive director of SOS Boat People, a nonprofit group in Falls Church and a center for get-out-the-vote efforts, including phone banks and weekend canvassing. "Asian Americans realize this election is their opportunity to really get noticed."
According to leaders of the large, affluent communities of Korean Americans, Vietnamese Americans and Indian Americans in Northern Virginia, sentiment among those groups favors Democratic Sen. Barack Obama (Ill.), although Republican Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) enjoys a core of loyal support among older Asian refugees who suffered at the hands of communist regimes […] A report released this month by the National Asian American Survey showed that Asian Americans across the country favor Obama over McCain but that more than one-third are undecided, which could make them a critical factor in several states […]

Those last sentences stand out for me. While most polls show us in a competitive position, the numbers will tighten – as they always do – over the next 14 days. This is why your help is so crucial right now. Early/absentee voting has started in some states and we need you to help court undecided voters and help get out the vote. How?

Visit your state online headquarters to discover what you can do

Volunteer for the campaign

Recruit 5 bilingual and English speaking volunteers to make phone calls or canvass.

Write op-eds to place in your native language news outlets or mainstream to let the country know that AAPIs support Obama.

On Election Day, volunteer to work at the polls, drive voters to the polls, help us make calls.

One of your best tools is our comprehensive AAPI Blueprint for Change. The booklet outlines the Obama-Biden administration’s commitment to the AAPI community. Download, read and circulate the plan to everyone you know.

In our family, access to a good education is a core value; it is something that we believe all people should have. Watch this new video about Barack’s stance on education. The video features Dr. Jill Biden and Maya (who, like Jill, has her Ph.D. in Education). Both Jill and Maya are lifelong teachers and both care passionately about the state of our education system.

Finally, thank you for all your well wishes regarding our beloved Tutu. Your support means so much to our family.

A Message From Joe Biden: “Call Asian American voters in a swing state”

Konrad Ng — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 17:16:15 EDT

Aloha, everyone. Today, Joe Biden sent this message to our Asian American supporters:

Konrad --
My wife Jill is an extraordinary woman.
Lately, she's been teaching school during the week and joining me on the campaign trail on the weekends. But this week, she also found some time to go to campaign headquarters and call voters in crucial battleground states.
Jill has always had a great time talking to potential supporters, and I'm sure her calls brought Barack and me a few votes closer to victory.
Can you do the same? Today you have the opportunity to reach out to Asian American voters in Florida, an important constituency that could help decide the outcome of this election.
Get your list of voters right now.
Watch this video of my wife making calls, see how easy it is, and then join her and tens of thousands of volunteers across the country by making calls from your own home.
With the conventions and the debates behind us, this election is now in your hands.
Reaching out to swing voters by making these calls is one of the most powerful ways to make a difference right now.
No matter how many rallies Barack and I hold or speeches we give, supporters like you talking to fellow voters one-on-one is the way we're going to win this election.
Get your list of supporters today and give them a call right from your own home:
Get your list of voters right now.
Thanks for everything you're doing,
Joe
P.S. -- Can't make calls this weekend? Sign up to make calls for the campaign later this week:
http://my.barackobama.com/committocall
Donate

Organize Parties, Organize Ourselves

Konrad Ng — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:12:09 EDT

There are 22 days remaining in this election – what can you do?

Host an AAPI House Party and help organize people you know. We need everyone’s help to fulfill the promise of this campaign. To host an AAPI house party, visit http://my.barackobama.com/aapimeeting.

Use our online kit to start planning your event. Once you sign up to host an AAPI party, we will send you the following materials:

- Literature on Barack Obama and Joe Biden's stance on AAPI issues.

- Sign-in sheets.

- A special AAPI for Obama DVD, offering an exciting campaign update and a call to action.

Host or attend a Debate Watch Party on Wed. Oct. 15. It is the final debate of the election – use the debate as an opportunity to organize your community. We can help you host or find a party near you:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/debate-watch-party.

Hawaii for Obama

Konrad Ng — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:26:01 EDT

Aloha, everyone. Watch this terrific Obama video created by students in my media program, also available at the Obama-Biden YouTube channel. The students, Mark, Osler, Tommy, and John, were moved by Obama’s vision for America and wanted to put their talents to good use. Mark wrote:

We created the video because we saw this as a perfect opportunity to support Senator Obama in his campaign for Presidency in the best way we know how - a short film. We support Barack Obama because he represents what we all feel we need - a positive change for our nation and our world. We believe in him and support him in every way. Go Obama!

For me, the video, entitled “Hawaii for Obama,” reflects the spirit of Hawai‘i in terms of its concerns and people. With 24 days until election day, I am buoyed by the commitment of people like these students – especially since our focus is now on GOTV: Getting Out the Vote.

Don’t forget to Host an AAPI House Party or read our AAPI Blueprint for Change.

"The Most Comprehensive Proposal for AAPIs from a Presidential Candidate"

Konrad Ng — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:49:28 EDT

Obama Releases Comprehensive Plan for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders
Obama's "Blueprint" is the Most Comprehensive Proposal for AAPIs from a Presidential Candidate
Chicago, IL- Senator Barack Obama today released his "Blueprint for the Change We Need for Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders." The document identifies the issues affecting the AAPI community and describes Senator Obama's plans to address the issues and his record on addressing those issues. The Blueprint also is the most comprehensive planning document for the AAPI community from a presidential campaign.
In the Blueprint, Senator Obama said "By reaching out directly to the AAPI communities, we can ensure that AAPIs are well represented in this national conversation about our future and the movement to write our destiny. The story of the AAPI communities is quintessential the American story about drawing strength from our diversity to achieve extraordinary things. I will be a president who remembers that our separate struggles are really one. I will never walk away from the tough battles or the difficult work of bringing people together."
The Blueprint addresses a wide range of issues, including economic opportunity, education, immigration, health care, home ownership, seniors, women, civil rights, foreign policy, veterans and faith.
"I urge you to read this blueprint so that you will be able to understand Senator Obama's long standing commitment to the AAPI community. His plans are exactly what we need to address the diverse needs of the AAPI community," stated Congressman Mike Honda, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
The Blueprint is available at http://my.barackobama.com/aapiblueprint
####
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Contact: Obama Press Office, (312) 819-2423

Another Way to Get Involved: Host an AAPI House Party!

Konrad Ng — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:04:41 EDT

An announcement from our AAPI Vote Team:

Host an AAPI House Party the week of October 19 – 25 and receive the new limited edition AAPI for Obama/Biden DVD!
With less than 30 days remaining in this election, it is more important than ever that we mobilize AAPIs to elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden as our next President and Vice President! Your support, commitment, and hard work has helped to make a tremendous difference in helping build a strong core of volunteers, helping register voters, and helping engage others in the electoral process.
What else can we do?
Consider hosting an AAPI House Party in your neighborhood!
Invite your friends, family, neighbors, and others in your community to participate in an evening of informative discussion. Hosting a house party involves gathering 20-100 of your friends at your home or a friend's home or some other venue. The party can be weekend brunch, dinner, afternoon tea/coffee or anything else. You'll need to create the invite list and follow up with phone calls. During the party, discuss the campaign, discuss the issues and discuss how people can be part of this campaign. House parties help raise awareness, help recruit volunteers and offer an opportunity for people to donate to the campaign.
We need to get the parties organized now — there are so few weeks left until the election!
Tell us about your AAPI House Party. RSVP to Poonam Patel at: ppoonam.ppatel@gmail.com.
We can provide you with:
- House party sign-in sheets.
- Campaign literature about Barack Obama and Joe Biden's stance on AAPI issues.
- A special AAPI for Obama/Biden DVD, offering an exciting campaign update and a call to action.
This campaign is grounded in the idea that real change does not come from the top down. Truly remarkable change has only occurred in our history when individuals have stood up, reached out to others in their communities, and made it happen. The most important thing that you can do on behalf of this campaign is bring in new supporters. It is the people that you reach out to who will come out on Election Day and cast their vote to change America.
Barack Obama and Joe Biden offer OUR community and OUR country the change that we need to chart a new course in history. Working together, we will make that happen.

Obam-aloha in the 50th State

Konrad Ng — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 13:18:57 EDT

Aloha, everyone. Barack’s brother-in-law writing from Hawai‘i. As you can imagine, it is 88 degrees and humid, typical weather for early October. While the temperature will cool over the next four weeks, Obama supporters in Hawai‘i intend to stay “fired up and ready to go!” Indeed, during September, one of the hottest months in the islands, Hawaii’s Obama supporters have been registering voters and organizing our get out the vote plans for Nov. 4th. One of our hardworking supporters is Sina on Oahu:

I'm a precinct captain for upper Manoa. I am helping to coordinate our team to mobilize volunteers for Nov. 4. We are calling voters, organizing rides to the polls and getting people to post or wave Obama signs. Right now, however, we are focused on making sure everyone in our precinct is registered to vote and encouraging early or absentee voting (visit www.voteforchange.com!). I'm also coordinating the Hawai'i Educators for Obama grassroots group effort to support student groups on college and high school campuses with voter registration and getting out the vote. In addition, both groups -- the precinct captains and educators -- will be phone-banking to the battleground states.
I support Barack because he offers an enlightened brand of leadership that combines intelligence and wisdom with building communities and reaching across lines of difference. At this difficult moment for the world, our survival depends on an united effort that is thoughtful, just and compassionate. Barack demonstrates the qualities of real leadership that inspires the kind of unity that can transform the world.

Sina is one of our hundreds of volunteers across the state. Her support of the Obama-Biden ticket is a story that we’ve heard during our travels across this great country: people want real change, real solutions and above all else, real leadership.

Since we returned from the DNC, Maya, my wife and Barack’s younger sister, has been speaking to supporters and potential supporters across the archipelago. She has been working non-stop in support of her brother. Read the report from Kauai’s The Garden Island

Party leaders and campaign officials, hoping to use presidential hopeful Barack Obama’s popularity in Hawai‘i to both drum up support in western Mainland battleground states and help local Democratic candidates, cheered on Obama’s half-sister, O‘ahu teacher Maya Soetoro-Ng, at a raucous rally at the War Memorial Convention Hall yesterday afternoon in Lihu‘e.
“I think Hawai‘i has great symbolic importance because this is an election where Hawai‘i’s voice was heard...We have much more power than we realize,” Soetoro-Ng said in an interview with The Garden Island after her speech.
“The most critical part of getting a person to make the right decision is sharing our stories and our reasons and weaving our individual story into the national story. I really want the people of Hawai‘i to be part of that tapestry and get involved.”
Soetoro-Ng echoed that sentiment during her speech to an estimated 600 to 700 attendees.

Read the report from Maui’s Maui Weekly

…On Saturday, Sept. 26, dozens of residents arrived at Kihei Charter School auditorium to hear Maya Soetoro-Ng, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s half-sister, share her thoughts concerning education reform in Maui County, the State of Hawai‘i and the Mainland…
Soetoro-Ng is certainly no stranger to the classroom. A high school U.S. history teacher with a Ph.D. in Education from the University of Hawai‘i, the O‘ahu native has dedicated most of her life to shaping, enhancing and inspiring generations of young minds…
And it appears that the passion for education is firmly rooted in the family tree. Sen. Obama has earned a reputation as a leader in educational issues throughout his career, beginning in the Illinois State Senate, where he helped create the Illinois Early Learning Council. Arriving in Washington as a junior senator, he pledged to make college more affordable for students, co-sponsoring a bill to increase the amount of Pell Grant awards and working to expand the Higher Education Act and teacher residency programs. According to Soetoro-Ng, her brother witnessed her struggles as a teacher firsthand; an experience that no doubt played a role in his vigorous crusade to reform education throughout the country. So it should come as no surprise that Soetoro-Ng’s ideas are in alignment with her brother’s.
“I did not write his educational platform,” she said with a smile. “But when I saw it for the first time, I felt it was something I could have written myself.”
She described Sen. Obama’s educational platform as “thoughtful, considerate, inclusive and decisive,” emphasizing multifaceted elements including early childhood education initiatives, tuition compensation for teachers and a plan for “success in the middle,” targeting the often-overlooked intermediate level.

Read the blog post about Maya and the Obama rally on Oahu and read the report from the Big Island’s KPUA News

Maya Soetoro-Ng, the younger half-sister of presidential candidate Barack Obama, spent Saturday campaigning for her brother at several locations on the Big Island.
First stop was at the ILWU union hall in Hilo where more than 100 union members and guests turned out for an 8:30 a.m breakfast meeting.
Soetoro-Ng, who teaches history at a private girls school on Oahu, told the crowd that she feels "something wonderful" happening in her brother's campaign. "It's so important to care, to participate, so important to embrace this time, this moment in history. We need to let people know what we think."
Of course she recognized the importance of winning the election, "but more important is recognizing our own power. It's not about him and what he can do but recognizing what we can do in our own communities."
Soetoro-Ng praised the Big Island for being where democracy and the principles of the Democratic Party were born and nurtured in Hawaii, where the priorities were set and where there is a legacy of service to the community.
"My whole family has benefited and the people of Hawaii have benefited, and the work that some of you did here in the mid-20th century is part of what my brother has inherited."

Indeed, with four weeks to go, we continue to do our part to bring about real change, real solutions and real leadership.

Debate Prep 101

Konrad Ng — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 15:09:50 EDT

Aloha, everyone. A message from our AAPI Vote Team:

This Friday, we'll reach another milestone in this campaign -- the first debate of the general election on September 26th at 9:00 PM Eastern time.
Millions of Americans will tune in to watch Barack debate Senator John McCain about America's foreign policy and our role in the world. At the debate, Barack will share his plan to bring the change we need -- to restore our standing in the world, ensure security at home and abroad, and reestablish the United States as the world's economic leader.
Let’s organize AAPI Debate House Parties.
Watch Michelle’s short message about the debate and find out how to sign up to host or attend a Debate Watch Party: http://my.barackobama.com/firstdebate
Tell us about your house party at: http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/aapistory
We hope for at least 100 AAPI Debate House Parties for this Friday!
This is a great opportunity for you to learn more about the issues. And it's also a great opportunity for you to share Barack's message of change with your friends, family, and neighbors by attending a Debate Watch Party.
Watch the debate with friends and supporters, and talk about how you can get involved in this movement.
Many Americans are still learning about Barack and this movement for change.
They don't know about his plan to restore the middle class, cut taxes for 95 percent of American families, provide health care for every American, achieve energy independence, improve our schools, and responsibly end the war in Iraq.
Many people also don't know that John McCain has voted with George Bush more than 90 percent of the time -- including to continue Bush's failed Iraq policies, not investigating the government response to Katrina, not supporting children's health care, not supporting college benefits for returning veterans, and passing tax cuts for the rich at the expense of the middle class.
This debate is a chance for Americans to hear directly from Barack. And with just a few weeks left before Election Day, it's more important than ever that we bring people together and talk about the issues that matter in our communities.

Why We Should Vote

Konrad Ng — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 01:41:20 EDT

Aloha, everyone. I want to share this terrific letter from our talented AAPI Vote Team. I'm proud of the strong leadership of campaign staff, community leaders, elected officials and grassroots activists over the past 20 months.

WHY ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS SHOULD VOTE
The American dream is increasingly out of reach for many people, including far too many Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) children and families. AAPI families have experienced stagnating wages, declining health care coverage, erosion of pension protections, rising personal debt, and jobs disappearing as a result of global competition and rising housing costs. Further, the gap between America’s richest and poorest is at its widest points in at least 25 years. At a time when costs are rising and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are working harder just to keep up, Barack Obama will provide relief for the middle class and support for working people. In addition to his health care and tax relief plans, Obama will make college affordable, reform our bankruptcy and credit card laws, protect the balance between work and family, and put a secure and dignified retirement within the reach of all Americans. Obama has been a strong advocate for working people throughout his public life, and he will stand up to special interests and bring America together to reclaim the American dream.
This election is a critical moment in our history. We can change the nation, but Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders need to vote to do it.
• Barack Obama frequently says that real change cannot come from the top, but rather that it has to come from the bottom, and he’s right. The change that we want and that this country needs won’t come on its own. We have to get involved to make it happen. And the first step to getting involved is getting registered to vote.
• Throughout this campaign, we’ve seen millions of Americans get involved who have never been interested in politics, never volunteered on a campaign, and many who have never been registered to vote before.
• It’s exciting and inspiring to see so many of us – young and old, Asian and Pacific Islander, rich and poor – getting involved for the first time, because they know that it’s time for change. We’re tired of the cynicism, the fear, and the petty gridlock that has defined our politics for so long. If we get involved, if we choose hope instead of fear, we will change not only our politics, but our entire country.
There have been too many times that elections have been lost because not enough people voted.
• The last two elections were decided by extremely close margins. In 2000, the Presidential election was decided by roughly 500 votes in Florida. In 2004, it was just two percent of the vote in Ohio. And this election is going to be just as close, if not closer.
• Barack Obama believes that in 2008 and beyond, we can register enough new voters to remake our politics. There are currently over 55 million Americans that are eligible but not registered. That’s over 25% of our voting eligible population.
• During the primaries, voter registration drives conducted by the campaign registered more than 200,000 new Democrats in Pennsylvania; more than 115,000 new Democrats in North Carolina; and more than 150,000 new Democrats in Indiana. Those numbers only scratch the surface of what’s possible.
• Obama/Biden can win this election, but they cannot do it without our help. We need to register as many new voters as possible and make sure that they get to the polls on November 4.
The Asian American and Pacific Islander community can help deliver the White House for Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2008.
• The AAPI community is one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the country. More importantly, our community is the only ethnic community that has voted increasingly Democratic in every presidential election since 1992.
o 1992 31% AAPI vote for Clinton/Gore
o 1996 43% AAPI vote for Clinton/Gore
o 2000 54% AAPI vote for Gore/Lieberman
o 2004 61-74% AAPI vote for Kerry/Edwards
• Recent elections have shown that AAPIs have the ability to act as a critical swing vote in major elections, especially when motivated to vote. Their critical role in Senator Jim Webb’s 2006 victory in Virginia shows their electoral power.
• Nationally, about two-thirds of all Asian Americans who are registered to vote are Democrats. • 47% of Asian students recently polled by Harvard identify as Democratic, 15% Republican and 39% independent — making them more Democratic than any other ethnic group except African-Americans in the survey.
• For 2008 elections, Asian Americans nationwide said they want the presidential candidates to address issues in this order: economy/jobs (28%), health care (19%), war in Iraq (15%) and education (15%). Immigration was chosen by 9% of the Asian Americans surveyed, the report said. (Asian American Legal Defense Fund)
• AAPI numbers might be small compared to other ethnic groups—only 5 percent of the total population—but they've been growing nine to 10 times faster than the general population, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
• If AAPI voter registration increases by 30% in the General Election, just imagine how Barack Obama and Joe Biden could expand the electoral map. We can potentially win Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio and the Southern corridor votes of Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia – as well as Colorado and Nevada.
The Obama-Biden campaign is empowering new voters with the Vote for Change 50 state voter registration project.
• Vote for Change is being led by the Obama-Biden campaign and the grassroots supporters and volunteers who make up the backbone of Obama’s movement for change.
Obama for America launched the website http://www.voteforchange.com to simplify the registration and absentee ballot request process.
We must unite and work harder than ever to ensure that Senator Obama is elected president. We need a president who will advocate for AAPIs and who understands our values and concerns. Senator Obama will be that President.
Please encourage your friends and family to join the AAPI for Obama group at http://my.barackobama.com/aapiforobama. They will receive news and updates on what the AAPI Vote Team is planning, access valuable resources and literature on AAPI issues and Obama's candidacy, and purchase AAPI for Obama gear.
Working together, we will make history.

50 States, 50 Days and Electing the Leadership We Deserve

Konrad Ng — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:09:17 EDT

Over the next 50 days, Americans across the country and around the world will talk to friends, family, neighbors and co-workers in support of Barack and Senator Biden. These conversations will be about the importance of registering to vote. They will be about our common hopes and the challenges we face as a nation. They will be about the crucial choice we face on Nov. 4: Electing real change or electing more of the same. As we enter this important phase of the campaign, I think of a passage from Barack’s announcement for President over 19 months ago.

…
Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more - and it is time for our generation to answer that call.
For that is our unyielding faith - that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it
…
All of us know what those challenges are today - a war with no end, a dependence on oil that threatens our future, schools where too many children aren't learning, and families struggling paycheck to paycheck despite working as hard as they can. We know the challenges. We've heard them. We've talked about them for years.
What's stopped us from meeting these challenges is not the absence of sound policies and sensible plans. What's stopped us is the failure of leadership, the smallness of our politics - the ease with which we're distracted by the petty and trivial, our chronic avoidance of tough decisions, our preference for scoring cheap political points instead of rolling up our sleeves and building a working consensus to tackle big problems.
…
I know there are those who don't believe we can do all these things. I understand the skepticism. After all, every four years, candidates from both parties make similar promises, and I expect this year will be no different. All of us running for president will travel around the country offering ten-point plans and making grand speeches; all of us will trumpet those qualities we believe make us uniquely qualified to lead the country. But too many times, after the election is over, and the confetti is swept away, all those promises fade from memory, and the lobbyists and the special interests move in, and people turn away, disappointed as before, left to struggle on their own.
That is why this campaign can't only be about me. It must be about us - it must be about what we can do together. This campaign must be the occasion, the vehicle, of your hopes, and your dreams. It will take your time, your energy, and your advice - to push us forward when we're doing right, and to let us know when we're not. This campaign has to be about reclaiming the meaning of citizenship, restoring our sense of common purpose, and realizing that few obstacles can withstand the power of millions of voices calling for change.
…
That is our purpose here today.
That's why I'm in this race.
Not just to hold an office, but to gather with you to transform a nation.
I want to win that next battle - for justice and opportunity.
I want to win that next battle - for better schools, and better jobs, and health care for all.
I want us to take up the unfinished business of perfecting our union, and building a better America.
And if you will join me in this improbable quest, if you feel destiny calling, and see as I see, a future of endless possibility stretching before us; if you sense, as I sense, that the time is now to shake off our slumber, and slough off our fear, and make good on the debt we owe past and future generations, then I'm ready to take up the cause, and march with you, and work with you. Together, starting today, let us finish the work that needs to be done, and usher in a new birth of freedom on this Earth.

Barack’s words affirm my faith in our capacity to inaugurate an America that we deserve. So, how can we join the millions of Americans already supporting Barack and Senator Joe Biden?

Take advantage of the resources on Obama-Biden campaign website: Join MyBarackObama.com (MyBO) at http://my.barackobama.com

Visit our Resource Library at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/actioncenter/resourcelibrary/

Reach out to voters in your community at http://my.barackobama.com/modules/votercontact/login_signup.php

Finally, here is a useful sheet from our AAPI Vote Team:

10 WAYS YOU CAN HELP ELECT BARACK OBAMA OUR NEXT PRESIDENT!
No matter how busy we are, we can all help Barack win by using these simple ideas and easy to reach goals.
1. WEAR your Barack Obama pin wherever you are: You are an ambassador for Barack wherever you go – wear your pin to strike up conversation in line at the grocery store, the gas station or anywhere.
2. RECRUIT 10 undecided AAPIs you know to vote for Senator Obama: Email or call them each week to follow up with them through the election on Nov. 4th and make sure they vote!
3. REGISTER 5 AAPIs you know to vote: Make sure other AAPIs for Obama can cast a ballot on November 4th! For more information on registering to vote in your state, go to: http://my.barackobama.com/voteforchange
4. JOIN AAPI for Obama and get updates from the campaign: Go to http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/aapisignup to sign up.
5. VOLUNTEER at your local office: Visit your local field office and bring at least one friend along with you to volunteer. Make calls, canvass, and write postcards to undecided AAPIs! To find your local field office, go to the “States” tab at http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/statepages and click on your home state.
6. Spread the Word about Barack: Tell others in your community why you support Barack for President. Submit a letter to your contacts at: http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/aapiinvite
7. EXPLORE AND JOIN MyBO groups and communicate with other AAPIs with similar backgrounds: Are you a South Asian for Obama? The “MyBO” social networking tools allow you to create or join groups of AAPIs across the country with similar backgrounds. Go to: http://www.my.barackobama.com for more information.
8. HOST A HOUSE PARTY: AAPI to AAPI communications on behalf of Barack is critical to growing support across the country. Invite supporters and undecided AAPIs to gather at your home and talk about what’s at stake in this election. To organize a House party, go to the Grassroots Organizing Guide:http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/actionguide...or a PHONE BANK party: Get a group of friends together to reach undecided AAPIs, or make calls on your own. Go to the Grassroots Organizing link above to learn more about how to host a phone bank party and make calls...or a VOTER REGISTRATION drive: On average, less than 40% of the AAPI community in each state is registered to vote. Work with your local AAPI community organizations to register voters in your area. See the Voter Registration section of the Grassroots Organizing Guide.
9. TRAVEL to a BATTLEGROUND state: Spend a weekend or two – over even a week or more if you can to help us reach AAPIs in these key states! Stay tuned for the AAPI volunteer travel program, but start marking your calendars! For more information, watch your AAPI for Obama emails or email aapi@barackobama.com
10. DON’T FORGET: MARK YOUR CALENDAR AND VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA ON NOVEMBER 4

www.voteforchange.com

Konrad Ng — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:40:48 EDT

With less than 60 days until the general election, I found last week’s post by Obama Blogger Amanda Scott very helpful. Visit the Obama campaign’s new website VoteforChange.com. This new voter registration tool makes registering to vote or requesting an absentee ballot easier than ever. Check it out!

What you can do in Hawaii to elect Barack

Konrad Ng — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 14:36:33 EDT

Aloha, everyone. I wanted to post this note from Ria, our hardworking field director in Hawaii.

Dear Konrad,
Election Day, November 4th, is less than 9 weeks away, and we can't afford to sit on the sidelines.
That's why it's important we act right now to keep building our movement for change here in Hawaii.
You can play a big role by signing up to become a Hawaii Precinct Captain.
This movement's strength comes from supporters like you stepping up to be leaders in their own neighborhoods.
Come to the training session on Sunday, September 7th, to learn more about becoming a Precinct Captain.
Precinct Captains are the faces of our movement in communities across Hawaii -- sharing with friends, family, and neighbors why they support Barack and Democrats up and down the ticket, and talking about the issues that matter most to Hawaiians.
This movement is organizing from the bottom up, not from the top down.
Supporters like you are giving their time, energy, and passion to make it happen.
We are counting on Precinct Captains to grow this movement by identifying and recruiting supporters, reaching out to undecided voters, and registering new voters.
No political experience is required. Campaign for Change staff will give you all the materials, training, and support you'll need every step of the way.
Take on a leadership role as a Hawaii Precinct Captain:
http://hi.barackobama.com/HIcaptains
Your voice and local leadership will make the difference in bringing the change this country needs.
We can't do this without you.
Thanks,
Ria
Ria Baldevia
Hawaii Field Director
Obama for America
P.S. -- Join us this Sunday to call undecided voters in Nevada and help spread Barack's message of change:
http://hi.barackobama.com/HIphonebanksept7

DNC: A Profound Honor

Konrad Ng — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:03:50 EDT

Aloha. Our hearts go to those affected by Hurricane Gustav. Obama Blogger Sam lists ways that you can help here and Obama Blogger Amanda posted Barack’s email listing ways that you can help here…

While we are now focused on the coming weeks, Maya and I want to say that it was a profound honor to meet some of this campaign’s thousands of supporters during last week’s Democratic National Convention. We were moved by their stories and energized by their collective belief that, as a nation, we can do better and we can be better. Our thanks to the people of Denver who welcomed thousands of people into their city with enthusiasm, kindness and grace.

Throughout the week, we attended many convention events. Coincidently, one of our events was a joint meeting between the Arkansas, Delaware and Hawai‘i state delegations, states with special ties to the Presidency. We received the invitation before Barack announced that the great, Sen. Joe Biden, would be his running mate. The meeting felt like a warm homecoming.

We also met with different organizations representing the Asian Pacific American community. We attended Asian Pacific Americans for Progress’s Grassroots Training and Strategy Session, a meeting of the Democratic National Committee’s Asian American Pacific Islander Caucus and met with the campaign’s Asian American Pacific Islander Leadership Council and Asian American Finance Committee. We also had an opportunity to meet Ramey of Asian Americans for Obama, Hrishi of South Asians for Obama, Angelica of Filipinos for Obama and the many members of Chinese Americans for Obama.

The DNC also announced that the delegates at this year’s convention were the most diverse group ever. 4.6% of the delegates were of Asian and Pacific Islander descent. Interested in convention speeches by Asian and Pacific Americans?

Maya Soetoro-Ng, Barack’s younger sister (and my wife, a powerful soul):

When we were young, our family didn’t have much in the way of wealth, but what we did have was far more important. We had people who made us believe that with a little imagination, we could dream the improbable; that through hard work, we could accomplish the extraordinary; that through the power of education, we could propel ourselves to a future far more promising than our circumstances led us to expect. … I’ve seen it everywhere I travel in people of every age, faith, background and walk of life, reaching out to one another, staking their own dreams on what we do together in this election. And I know that if we elect Barack as president, he’ll be there for you just as he’s always been there for me. I know he’ll help you realize your dreams just as he’s helped me realize mine.
I know we’ll make our mothers proud, and, together, we will leave for our children a better nation…

Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-5)

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m very proud to be the parliamentarian of this historic convention. As such, it’s my duty to advise the chair on the issues confronting the convention. I’m here to advise all of you as well, and stand ready to answer any parliamentary questions that may arise throughout the week…we know that this will be a well-run, orderly and successful convention, and we’re honored to join with you in a convention that will nominate the next President of the United States, Barack Obama. Let’s have a great convention.

Congressman Mike Honda, CA-15:

Education is the gateway to the American dream. Barack knows first-hand that immigrant families – Asian, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, African and others – can attain the American dream through a quality, equitable education, and hard work. Barack's story of promise and opportunity proves that education can be the great equalizer. Sadly, over the past eight years, the misguided Bush/McCain priorities have bled our schools' resources dry, shutting down that gateway to success, and hijacking our children's capacity to achieve the American dream.
We are now at a crossroads. We can either continue on a path of failed policies with John McCain, or, for the change we need, we can elect Barack Obama president. America is in dire need of leadership. Barack knows that education leads to innovation, a critical engine of our economy. His ability and his vision will help ensure that everyone has the opportunity to obtain a quality education. Barack will fight for our children's future…

California State Controller John Chiang:

…Barack Obama will give us the change we need, so that the values of hard work and opportunity that our parents taught us will ring just as loud, clear and true for our children as they did for us. Let those values be our calling. And once again build a country that embraces the great promise of her people…

Jin Ho Kang and Yoougsoook Kang led the daily convention prayer

Good evening. This is a prayer, a benediction and a blessing that we share with those who are gathered here this evening, heeding God’s call to justice… God of justice in times of change, grant wisdom for Senator Barack Obama and Senator Joe Biden. May they together lead in continuing the legacy of freedom and liberty. May they lead in bringing sacred change by creating a community that celebrates diversity and difference, that demands justice for all and that seeks peace, not war or violence…God of hope, we lift up our voice to pray for a vision-filled future for this country. May we build a bridge of harmony among all God’s people. May the work of this convention provide hope for all people of God in the nation…

Tammy Duckworth, Director of the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs:

Four years ago, I was co-piloting a Blackhawk helicopter north of Baghdad when a rocket-propelled grenade struck the cockpit. My buddies carried my body out not knowing if I was dead or alive. They knew the soldier’s creed: never leave a fallen comrade behind. They lived up to it. They risked their own lives to save mine. Because of them, I am here today, an Iraq war veteran, a female helicopter pilot and a wounded warrior—living in a country where people with disabilities have rights. Because of them, I am here today, an Asian American, a Daughter of the American Revolution as well as a daughter of an immigrant… Fellow Democrats, fellow Americans: I believe in this nation that I love more than my own life.

Today we have an opportunity to honor our military men and women by living up to that soldier’s creed. Today we have an opportunity to give our veterans the benefits they rightfully earned. Today we have the opportunity to change our relations with the world.

I believe that America will elect the leader who has always fought to keep our nation’s promise to our veterans. I believe America will elect the leader who can best keep this nation strong.

Barack Obama is right for our military. Barack Obama is right for our veterans. Barack Obama is right for our country. And that’s why Barack Obama will be our next commander-in-chief…

This coming election is so important. We need all your help to close the gap between the world as it is and as it can be. More posts coming soon.

Obama Campaign Announces General Election Executive and Steering Committees of AAPIs for Obama Leadership Council

Konrad Ng — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:55:43 EDT

Obama Campaign Announces General Election Executive and Steering Committees of AAPIs for Obama Leadership Council
Chicago, IL -- The Obama campaign announced today new membership of the executive and steering committees of the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) for Obama Leadership Council. The general election committees were expanded to include AAPI supporters of former presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton and John Edwards.
“I am honored to be a member of the steering committee for AAPIs for Obama Leadership Council,” said Irene Natividad, former National Chair of AAPI Women for Hillary. “I look forward to working with Asian American and Pacific Islander community leaders across the country as we share with AAPI voters that Barack Obama's story is our story, and there is no better champion of the issues that are important to our community than Senator Obama.”
“Barack Obama epitomizes all that is possible in this great country of ours,” said Jadine Nielsen, former Hawaii State Director for John Edwards. “He was born and raised in Hawaii, a majority AAPI state, and he spent time as a child in Indonesia. His family members include a sister who is half-Indonesian and a brother-in-law who’s Chinese-Canadian. He is a candidate who reflects our multi-cultural society at its best.”
The members of the Executive and Steering Committees of AAPIs for Obama Leadership Council are
Executive Committee:
Jacinta Titialii Abbott, AS
Gloria Caoile, VA
Nancy Chen, IL
Ann Lata Kalayil, IL
Hrishi Karthikeyan, NY
Dale Minami, CA
Konrad Ng, HI
Catherine Park, CA
Stanley Toy, CA
Lee Pao Xiong, CA
Janet Yang, CA

Steering Committee:
Rajen Anand, CA
Preeta Bansal, NY
C.P. Chen, OH
Curtis Chin, CA
Rocky Chin, NY
Martha Choe, WA
Robert Gee, VA
Lisa Hasegawa, MD
Paul Igasaki, VA
Keith Kamisugi, CA
Bill Kaneko, HI
Ramey Ko, TX
David Lang, CA
Rozita Lee, NV
Asif Mahmood, CA
Mona Mohib, DC
Karen Nakandakare, CO
Irene Natividad, VA
Hung Nguyen, VA
Jadine Nielsen, HI
Prem Shunmugavelu, MN
Bouapha Toommaly, DC
Cuc Vu, DC
Eddie Wong, CA
###
For Immediate Release
August 8, 2008
Obama Press Office

The Obama Asian American and Pacific Islander Fundraiser in Washington, D.C.

Konrad Ng — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 01:01:45 EDT

On Tuesday, Barack attended a sold-out fundraiser with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in Washington, D.C. The event was a resounding success!

Read the Washington Post blog about the event:

Washington Post
Obama, at Fundraiser, Pronounces Himself an 'Honorary AAPI'
By Jonathan Weisman
At a fundraiser sponsored by a coalition of Asian American political groups, Sen. Barack Obama today pronounced himself an "honorary AAPI," or Asian American and Pacific Islander.
Rep. Mike Honda (D-Calif.) introduced Obama at the fundraiser, held in a ballroom of Washington's posh Mayflower Hotel, noting that Obama's family includes Asian Americans and that he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia.
"The son of an immigrant, raised among AAPI's in Hawaii, Barack Obama understands the struggles of immigrants searching for an identity in America," he said.
The candidate's entrance was greeted by an extended ovation. His 20-minute speech dwelled heavily on immigration and Asian-American issues, as well as his own background. Born in Hawaii, raised for a time in Indonesia, Obama said his first college roommates were Pakistani and Indian. "Most importantly," he said, "I have a sister who is half Indonesian, who is married to a Chinese Canadian. I don't know what that makes my niece."
"Being here is especially meaningful to me because I consider myself to be an honorary AAPI member, and I think I've got some pretty good credentials," he said.
The event was jointly sponsored by the Asian American Finance Committee and the Democratic National Committee's AAPI Leadership Council, South Asian American Leadership Council and Indo-American Leadership Council[…]
Obama ditched his usual stump speech for a more focused talk on issues of interest to the audience. He promised health care initiatives geared toward Asian American problems, gave a full-throated endorsement of federal support for minority-owned businesses (just days after McCain backed state initiatives banning affirmative action), and promised to restore the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
"We are a nation of laws, and if people are breaking our immigration laws, there should be consequences," he said. "But I also believe that one of the things that sets this country apart is that there is no one who looks like a typical American.... You can have a Honda who is a congressman. You can have an Obama who is a presidential candidate."
The audience was heavy with South Asian, Southeast Asian and East Asian Americans, but there were plenty of attendees from other ethnic backgrounds, as well. Among those gathered were Reps. Bobby Scott of Virginia, Joe Baca of Calif., the head of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Eni F.H. Faleomavaega, delegate from American Samoa, David Wu of Oregon and Xavier Bacerra of California.

Read Asian American columnist Jeff Yang’s interesting take on Barack’s Asian connections on the San Francisco Chronicle’s website (SF Gate). The article also includes thoughts from Barack’s Legislative Director Chris Lu:

…reading Obama's absorbing 1995 memoir "Dreams from My Father," it strikes me that the tropes that surround and define Obama can just as easily be read as those of another community entirely. Which raises the question: Could it be that our true first black president might also be our first Asian American president?
He was born and raised in Hawaii, the only majority-Asian state in the union; he spent four formative years in Jakarta, the home of his Indonesian stepfather Lolo Soetoro, where he attended local schools and learned passable Bahasa Indonesia. The family with whom he's closest — half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng and her Chinese Canadian husband, Konrad Ng — are Asian American. So, too, are the most senior members of his congressional team — his Senate chief of staff Pete Rouse, whose mother is Japanese American, and his legislative director Chris Lu, whose parents hail from Taiwan.
Evidence for Obama's affinity with the Asian American experience runs true even as one delves deeper into his history. "A lot of aspects of the senator's story will be recognizable to many Asian Americans," says Lu, a Harvard Law School classmate of the senator's who joined the team in 2005. "He talks about feeling like somewhat of an outsider; about coming to terms with his self-identity; about figuring out how to reconcile the values from his unique heritage with those of larger U.S. society. These are tensions and conflicts that play out in the lives of all children of immigrants."…
Read the entire article here

Obama Campaign Announces Asian American Finance Committee

Konrad Ng — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 23:15:41 EDT

Obama Campaign Announces Asian American Finance Committee
CHICAGO, IL - The Obama campaign announced today the launch of the Asian American Finance Committee. The committee is comprised of diverse American communities of supporters, including those from Asian American, South Asian American, and Pacific Islander background, who will raise funds to elect Senator Barack Obama as President and to strengthen and expand the Democratic Party.
“We look forward to doing everything we can to elect Senator Obama in November," National Co-Chair Vinod Khosla said. "From ending the war in Iraq and restoring America's standing abroad, to promoting innovation and working toward a comprehensive energy independence plan, from restoring the balance between civil liberties and national security, to ensuring all Americans have access to high quality, affordable healthcare, Senator Obama has consistently shown that he is the right choice not just for Asian Americans, but for all Americans."
The leadership of the Asian American Finance Committee includes:

National Co-Chairs
Sohaib Abbasi (Silicon Valley, CA)
Nasser Ahmad & Romita Shetty (New York, NY)
Cyrus Amir-Mokri (New York, NY)
Swadesh Chatterjee (Cary, NC)
Vinod Khosla (Silicon Valley, CA)
Bel Leong-Hong (Gaithersburg, MD)
Scott Oki (Seattle, WA)
Mahinder Tak (Bethesda, MD)
Stan Toy (Los Angeles, CA)

Grassroots Co-Chairs
Curtis Chin (Los Angeles, CA)
Hrishi Karthikeyan (New York, NY)
Dave Kumar (Washington, DC)
Reshma Saujani (New York, NY)

National Co-Chair & Senior Policy Advisor
Preeta Bansal (New York, NY)

###
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Contact: Obama Press Office

Barack's Asian Connections

Konrad Ng — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 15:14:55 EDT

Aloha, everyone. Here are some recent articles about Maya as she continues to campaign on Barack’s behalf. More soon…

Today’s article by the Associated Press

Obama’s sister helps reach out to Asian-Americans
By Juliana Barbassa
San Francisco (AP) — The throng of Asian-American donors drew closer, drinks in hand, to hear Barack Obama's sister describe the wide arc of his life: beyond politics and Chicago, into his childhood in Indonesia and Hawaii.
To many in this crowd Obama's Asian-American half-sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, represents yet another aspect of Obama's identity that makes him unique as a presidential candidate, although it has been underplayed amid the excitement surrounding his shot at becoming the first black president.
“It would be the first time that the first family is comprised in part of Asian-Americans — as well as African-Americans, of course,” said Keith Kamisugi, a coordinator with Asian-Americans for Obama. In early June he organized a fundraiser along with two other Obama events focusing on Asian-American voters in San Francisco.
Discussion of those ties has taken a back seat to the Obama campaign's efforts to win the Hispanic vote and his ability to rouse young and black voters. In spite of the drawn-out primary season, many voters have heard little about Obama's years in Jakarta — he lived there between 1967 and 1971, while his mother was married to Soetoro-Ng's father, an Indonesian businessman — or about his years in Hawaii, where Asian-Americans are a majority.
Soetoro-Ng and Obama have different fathers and the same mother. Her father is Indonesian, his is Kenyan. Her husband is Chinese-Canadian.
Initially, as the campaign focused on fighting out the primaries, state by state, “the idea was to downplay to some degree race and ethnicity,” said Soetoro-Ng in an interview with The Associated Press. “A lot of the emphasis had been on reaching out, making connections, closing the gaps.”
That theme resonated among Obama supporters of all backgrounds, said Soetoro-Ng, who is nine years younger than Obama and considers him “the strong male force” in her life after her parents' divorce.
It was with Obama she attended her first blues concert and her first voter registration drive, she said. The two remain close: She was there when Obama's oldest daughter, Malia, 9, was born, and plans to help celebrate her 10th birthday on the 4th of July, on the campaign trail.
Soetoro-Ng's appearances give voters a chance to get to know Obama as a person, not just an elected official. Her stories illustrate the development of his character, from his days as a teenager who loved basketball and bodysurfing and didn't always get the strongest grades, to his growing sense of civic duty in the summers she spent with him in Chicago.
But she also has a political role to play. She plans to spend her summer vacation — she is a teacher at an all-girls' school in Hawaii — introducing her brother to crowds such as this one.
“We are ready for a more complex construction of identity as a country,” she said, dismissing the possibility some voters might find it hard to relate to Obama's multiethnic background and foreign experience.
“Maybe not everybody is as mixed or as hybrid as he is. But he gets Kansas, because we have Kansas,” she said, referring to their mother's background. “He gets the Midwest. He gets the south side of Chicago.” And he “has a lot of affection for Asian cultures, in all of their various forms,” she said.
Read the rest of the article here

Denver Post: “Young Obama ‘the man’ ”

San Jose Mercury News: “Obama’s sister visits Watsonville, offers tales of candidate’s childhood”

Marin Independent Journal: “Obama’s sister tells of big brother’s guiding presence during fundraising stop”

Thank you

Konrad Ng — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:20:29 EDT

Aloha, everyone. Thanks to all our supporters for their hard work over the past 18 months and our sincere thanks to Senator Hillary Clinton. The Democratic Party is made stronger by her courage, strength and commitment to the causes that form our core values. Thank you, Senator Clinton, thank you for your inspiration!

In early June, we received the endorsement of former Washington Governor Gary Locke, the first Chinese American governor in U.S. history. Thank you, Governor Locke!

In May, Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) hosted a Presidential Town Hall devoted to the Asian and Pacific American community! Thank you, APIAVote, for coordinating this event. Watch videos of Barack addressing town hall participants via telephone:

California Congressman Xavier Becerra’s Introduction of Barack

APIAVote Town Hall Barack Obama Part 1

APIAVote Town Hall Barack Obama Part 2

APIAVote Town Hall Barack Obama Part 3

APIAVote Town Hall Barack Obama Part 4

Also in May, Asian Pacific Americans for Progress and the Democratic National Committee hosted an Asian Pacific American Activist Training session. Look at some photos here and read this posting on the Daily Kos.

And here are some recent articles about Barack and his connections to Asian and Pacific America:

U.S. News & World Report: “Obama’s Hawaiian Roots Help Shape His Political Beliefs”

U.S. News & World Report: “Exclusive Interview: Becoming Barack Obama”

Associated Press: “Barack Obama: Finding common bonds in different worlds”

U.S. News & World Report: “Obama’s Sister: He is No Elitist”

Honolulu Weekly: Q&A with Maya in the Honolulu Weekly

Honolulu Advertiser: “Obama’s mother wasn’t just a girl from Kansas”

Guam Superdelegate for Obama!

Konrad Ng — Wed, 28 May 2008 19:43:31 EDT

Guam Senator and Democrat National Committeeman Ben C. Pangelinan endorsed Barack Obama today. Pangelinan is the 320.5th superdelegate to endorse Obama, who is now 46 delegates away from capturing the Democratic nomination.

Read the entire announcement from Obama-blogger, Sam Graham-Felson.

Good News From Hawai‘i: 3 More Superdelegates

Konrad Ng — Mon, 26 May 2008 22:18:23 EDT

Aloha friends, Barack’s brother-in-law writing - I want to share some good news from this past weekend. During the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i State Convention, Barack picked up the support of three superdelegates. Newly elected State Party Chair, former State Representative Brian Schatz, newly elected State Party Vice-Chair, educator Kari Luna, and newly elected At-Large Superdelegate, retired chief judge of the state Intermediate Court of Appeals, James Burns, committed to supporting Barack for President at the Democratic National Convention in August. Maya (Barack’s younger sister and my wife) spoke at the convention on Saturday and introduced longtime supporter and friend, Congressman Neil Abercrombie. As usual, Neil and Maya got everyone “fired up and ready to go” and both stressed the importance of bringing the party together: “we are one family.” Like the unprecedented voter turnout at our state caucus in February (when Barack won with 76% of the vote), participation at the state convention was high. For many attendees, this past weekend was their first state convention and the first time in a long while that they felt truly part of the political process. Everyone we met expressed his/her thanks to Barack for making them feel empowered and hopeful about the direction of the country.

Earlier this month, Barack received the important support of three other Hawai‘i superdelegates, U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono and Hawai‘i Democratic National Committeewoman Dolly Strazar. With the support of Neil, Brian, Kari, James and our state’s caucus results, the current number of Obama delegates from Hawai‘i is 21 (out of a total of 29).

Read the local newspaper coverage on the state convention:

Associated Press: “Obama picks up three superdelegates from Hawaii”

Honolulu Advertiser: “State Democrats stress unity: Party leaders call for cooperation as Obama adds to superdelegates”

Honolulu Star-Bulletin: “Dems give Obama more superdelegates”

Watch the local television coverage on the state convention:

KITV: “Thousands of Hawaii Democrats Gather”

KHNL: “Hawaii Democrats Converge for Convention”

KHON: “Three Additional Superdelegates Support Obama”

KGMB: "Three Obama Supporters Elected as Superdelegates"

Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo Endorses Barack Obama

Konrad Ng — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:24:43 EDT

News from Obama-blogger Sam Graham-Felsen...

CHICAGO, IL – Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo endorsed Barack Obama today, saying she believes he is the right candidate to move our nation forward.
“Today I have pledged my support as a superdelegate to Senator Barack Obama. Senator Obama offers us the leadership needed to address the challenges Guam and our nation will face in the coming years.
Senator Obama is working very closely with Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, and other Senate leaders to secure more support for H.R. 1595, the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act. Senator Obama fully understands and supports the efforts to seek full recognition for the patriotism and suffering endured by the people of Guam during enemy occupation in World War II.
Senator Obama has also pledged to help improve Guam's economy, including through opportunities with the military build-up—an issue I have worked very hard on since taking office—and I believe he is the right candidate to help move Guam and our nation forward given the challenges we face in our world today.”
Senator Obama said, “I thank Congresswoman Bordallo for her support. Senator Bordallo has been fighting to ensure that the people of Guam have a voice in Washington. I look forward to working with her to ensure that young people in Guam have the education and opportunities they need to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.”
Bordallo is the 306.5th superdelegate to endorse Obama, who is 107 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka Endorses Barack Obama

Konrad Ng — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:01:34 EDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 12, 2008
Obama Press Office
U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka Endorses Barack Obama: The Senator from Hawaii Cites Obama's Ability to Unite Americans Around Common Interests
CHICAGO, IL – Today, U.S. Senator Daniel Akaka from Hawaii endorsed Barack Obama for President. Akaka is the 280th superdelegate to endorse Obama, who is now 151 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination. Senator Akaka’s Statement is below:
“For more than a year, people have asked me who I plan to endorse for President of the United States. I’ve waited this long for several reasons. The Democratic campaign began with more than ten declared candidates. As a veteran of more than 30 years on Capitol Hill, I knew each and everyone of them and had worked closely with all. I had no doubt that each of them had the knowledge and ability to lead our country out of the financial and diplomatic chaos that we’ve experienced for the past eight years.
Having waged a number of campaigns myself, I can tell you they are not easy. Campaigns are tests, and there’s no tougher one than running for President. Like many Americans, I’ve followed the campaign for President closely and with growing interest, eager to see which candidate would articulate a vision for our country, encourage hope and renew faith in our government, and stand to the rigors of a nationwide contest.
After giving it a lot of thought, I’ve decided that for me, that candidate is Barack Obama.
Rather than echo his supporters or review his platform on health care, the environment, or the war in Iraq, I want to add a different voice to those who believe Senator Obama would make a fine President. He is the antidote we need to cure Washington of the uninspired, partisan politics that has plagued our country far too long.
What makes him uniquely qualified? A March 2008 feature in Vanity Fair magazine offers a clue: “He was born and came of age in Hawaii, the 50th state and in many ways among the freest‑thinking, where mixed‑race ancestry is …a given... If Obama comes across as a bit of a softy—if you don’t see the toughness or the ambition at first—it may be in part because he spent his formative years in a place where ‘Live Aloha’ had not yet become a slogan aimed at recapturing a more gracious time, but was simply a way of life.”
I have great hope, that in his own way, Barack Obama will achieve what I have been working to accomplish my entire Congressional career, more tolerance and understanding, an appreciation for common goals and interests, rather than an emphasis on our differences.
While I am pledging my support to Senator Obama, I want to make it very clear that I hold both Senator Hillary Clinton and President Bill Clinton in the highest regard as colleagues and friends. Senator Clinton has campaigned hard and well and I wish her all the best as we move forward. In an example of her leadership and commitment, Senator Clinton has promised that come November, the Democratic Party will be united behind our presidential nominee and I send her my fondest aloha for her courage and selflessness.”

Congresswoman Mazie Hirono endorses Barack Obama for President: Update

Konrad Ng — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:20:11 EDT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2008
Obama Press Office
Chicago, IL – Today, Hawaii Congresswoman Mazie Hirono announced her support for Barack Obama today, citing his ability to unite the Democratic Party and bring about real change:
“Today I announce my endorsement of Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. I do so after watching these historic campaigns unfold across our country, where hundreds of thousands of people participated as never before. It is clear that Americans want our country back on a course of hope and opportunity.
I make my announcement with deep respect and admiration for Hillary Clinton. She is an extraordinary woman. However, it is time to unite the party behind Senator Obama and to use our energy and resources to defeat Senator John McCain. Barack Obama can unite our Party and our country and bring about the positive changes Americans want.
Of course, all of us are especially proud of Senator Obama's deep roots here in our state, and overwhelmingly embraced his candidacy in our recent caucus. His love for Hawaii and understanding of its diversity have given him a foundation for understanding the diversity of our country. I am proud to endorse Senator Obama and I look forward to a winning campaign.”
“As a native of Hawaii, it means so much to have Rep. Mazie Hirono’s support," said Senator Obama. "She has worked tirelessly to help America and Hawaii achieve energy independence and to reduce our dependency on foreign oil. She has also been a leader in working to improve the economy and to create good-paying jobs. Rep. Hirono embraces the kind of change we need in Washington, and I look forward to working closely with her.”
Hirono is the 271st superdelegate to endorse Barack Obama. Obama is 160 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

Statement on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Konrad Ng — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:21:13 EDT

For Immediate Release
Obama Press Office
May 1, 2008
Statement on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
Dear Friends,
The month of May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month – a time to honor and celebrate the extraordinary contributions of the nearly 13 million Asian and Pacific Americans (AAPI) who have helped build a strong and vibrant America. The APA community represents many ethnicities and languages that span across generations, and their shared achievements are an important part of the American experience. The APA story and community are also personal to me. Members of my family are of Asian descent and it is a community that I became a part of while growing up in Hawaii and Indonesia and living in Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. APA Heritage Month reminds us of our commonalities in history, the values that bring us together and how Asian Pacific Americans will shape America's future.
Beyond acknowledging the contributions of the APA community, APA Heritage Month is also an opportunity for us to recognize the challenges we still face. Our nation is at war, our planet is in peril, and for increasing numbers of Americans of Asian and Pacific descent, the American dream is in danger of slipping away. As President, I will work with the APA community to ensure that all Americans have access to quality, affordable and portable healthcare that will also reduce the language and cultural barriers that limit access to our medical system. We will make sure the global economy works for APAs by fixing our public education system, making college affordable through an annual $4,000 tax credit, and equipping our workers with the skills and training they need to compete. We will invest in renewable energy, which will ease our rising fuel costs while also saving our planet. We will do more to support small businesses, including strengthening programs that provide capital to minority-owned businesses. We will develop comprehensive immigration reforms that strengthen our security while affirming our heritage as a nation of immigrants, and reach. We will restore our Constitution and the rule of law, including our commitment to human rights abroad and civil liberties at home. Finally, we must forge a more effective regional framework for collective security in Asia and the Pacific to promote political and economic stability, confront transnational threats like terrorism and influenza, and collectively address environmental concerns.
With your support, I am confident that we can address these challenges. I am thankful to the many leaders, campaign organizers and grassroots volunteers of Asian and Pacific descent across the country, who have registered thousands of new voters, conducted phone-banking, organized canvassing trips, hosted political events, translated campaign materials into numerous Asian languages, and much more. By reaching out directly to the APA community, we can ensure that APAs are well represented in this national conversation about our future and the movement to write our destiny.
So, as we celebrate APA Heritage Month, let us honor the achievements of Asian Pacific Americans who have contributed so much to the success and prosperity of our nation, and who must be a part of our effort to change America.
The story of the APA community is a quintessential American story about drawing strength from our diversity to achieve extraordinary things. With your continued energy, enthusiasm, passion and activism, the change we seek is within reach.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama

Want to help? Phonebank from home and help make a difference in key contests.

Check out the new items in our store - wear your support in style.

And here are some pictures from the all-volunteer Obama office in Philadelphia’s Chinatown. Thanks Matt.

Guam Matters(!) -- Updated

Konrad Ng — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 16:01:21 EDT

Guam holds its primary this coming Sat. May 3.Read a report from Guam by Ria Baldevia. Ria, now the Guam Field Director, was instrumental in winning the Hawai‘i Caucus.

And a note from Guam Obama organizers, Grande Lum and Nan Santiago:

This is a very exciting time for Guam; the country is watching May 3rd. Guam has a chance on May 3rd to choose Senator Barack Obama as our Democratic presidential nominee, and he needs as many votes as possible in Guam.
The two largest ethnic groups in Guam are Chamorro (Pacific Islander native population) and Filipino who comprise 83% of the 172,000 estimated population (with white, Korean, Japanese and Chinese compromising most of the rest). Polling currently says Guam is a toss-up. As you may know Guam comes before Indiana and North Carolina. If we can win Guam that will help create momentum for Obama. FYI There are 8 delegates up for grabs worth 1/2 each or 4 delegate points. There are 5 Guam superdelegates. While officially called a caucus it really is more of a primary vote and polls will be open 10 am-8 pm on Saturday May 3. Many people in Guam are unaware that their vote will count as Guam residents (US citizens) are not eligible to vote in general presidential election in November.
We're working with the Obama Guam Coordinator Ria Baldevia and calling people in Guam right now...If you have AT&T or Sprint wireless, nationwide plans include Guam. AT&T and other landline nationwide plans include Guam as well. Guam is 18 hours ahead of the pacific time zone, so best times to call will be between 3 pm -3 am pacific daylight time (9am-9pm Guam time)…

We need your help!

Make phone calls to help identify Obama supporters and encourage them to participate in the caucus

Donate as little as $15

Statement by Sen. Obama on the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act

Konrad Ng — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 02:18:52 EDT

April 24, 2008
For Immediate Release
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today released the following statement on the Senate's passage of the Veterans’ Benefits Enhancement Act (S.1315):
“Our veterans and service members have made incredible sacrifices for our nation, and today the Senate honored their service by providing them with the care and benefits they deserve."
“The Veterans' Benefits Enhancement Act provides important improvements to veterans' benefits. It expands life insurance programs for disabled veterans, increases housing assistance for disabled veterans and service members, and improves the administration of education benefits. I am also pleased that this bill contains a provision that I have championed to improve VA's outreach efforts to members of the National Guard and Reserves so these service members will be better informed about the federal benefits and services available to them."
“This legislation also makes good on our promises to Filipino veterans who served bravely alongside American service members during World War II. Nearly 250,000 Filipinos assisted Americans during the war, but for far too long, these heroes have been denied benefits they are owed. This bill will finally provide surviving veterans and their survivors with the benefits they were promised so many years ago."
“Recognizing the sacrifices of our veterans and service members means ensuring they have the resources they need while at war, and the services and support they require when they return home. I am committed to working with my colleagues to ensure this legislation is enacted into law and does not result in a loss of current veterans' benefits and much needed services. As a member of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, I will continue my fight to ensure our heroes don't have to face another battle to receive the care and benefits they deserve."

Hafa Adai!

Konrad Ng — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 02:38:04 EDT

On the day of the Pennsylvania primary, I exchanged e-mail messages with Anna from United for Obama. Anna is part of the grassroots team who set up the all-volunteer Obama office in Philadelphia’s Chinatown (the space was compliments of Mr. Deng). Over four weeks, Anna and people like Matt, Nina, Haipei, Helen from NJ, Elizabeth and Janice from NY, canvassed and called thousands of people in the Philadelphia area. Anna and I discussed how at each stop during the Democratic primary, Barack’s supporters of Asian and Pacific descent, people who are creative, passionate, resourceful and smart, are intent on making a difference. For me, part of the story coming out of Pennsylvania is how members of our community join what Barack describes as “march for a more just, more equal, more free, more caring and more prosperous America.”

Nine important contests remain in the race for the nomination. Next week, our brothers and sisters in Guam vote on May 3, 2008 and three days later, Indiana and North Carolina vote for change. What started as an unlikely quest for the nomination has become a model brand of politics. But the promise of this campaign has not yet been fulfilled - we need your help.

Donate as little as $15

Make phone calls from home to identify and encourage supporters in key states

Some news from Guam: Listen to Maya’s interview with Patti Arroyo with KGUM 567 AM, a news/talk station in Hagatna, Guam or download the interview.

Pennsylvania is the place to be!

Konrad Ng — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 01:33:24 EDT

Watch Saleem’s story from Pittsburgh (Added Apr. 21, 2008)

On Tuesday, the race for the nomination stops in Pennsylvania and Obama supporters of Asian and Pacific descent are making a difference. Obama staffer, Van Tamom, along with the grassroots coalition, United for Obama, are doing some incredible GOTV (getting out the vote) and phonebanking from the grassroots supported Obama Philadelphia Chinatown office. See some pictures here and here. Obamateers Matt and Anna are in the pictures.

Join our movement for change. Use our online calling system to make calls to potential Obama supporters in Pennsylvania. The process is easy: http://my.barackobama.com/callPA

Or join one of the remaining Philadelphia Chinatown GOTV & phonebanking events below:

Monday, April 21

9 AM - GOTV & phonebanking

Obama Philadelphia Chinatown Office

924 Cherry Street, 2nd Floor Rear

RSVP: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4kmt

Tuesday, April 22

7 AM - Primary Day - GOTV

Obama Philadelphia Chinatown Office

924 Cherry Street, 2nd Floor Rear

RSVP: http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/4ylv

And check this out – it’s extraordinary: Watch Spanish – Chinese – Korean – Vietnamese subtitled versions of some of Obama’s greatest videos. The subtitles were provided by one of our grassroots groups, Captioned Media for Obama. Thank you!

And meet Barack's Senate Legislative Director, Chris Lu, in the Chinese language daily publication, World Journal. Click here to read original version or Click here to read the English translation.

Activities

Konrad Ng — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 04:25:47 EDT

A terrific report from Matthew Chea, one of our active grassroots supporters in Philadelphia:

“On Saturday April 12, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., a group of volunteers, community leaders and elected officials who embrace Presidential Candidate Senator Barack Obama's message of inclusion and empowerment provided a free tax clinic targeting those Philadelphians (earning between $3,000-8,750) who traditionally do not file for taxes.

In the spirit of Obama’s commitment to inclusion and grassroots community empowerment the primary organizers of this event, Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, United People for Obama (Philadelphia Coalition of diverse Obama Supporters), Solutions for Progress (a technology public policy company who specializes in anti-poverty software) kicked off activities with a multicultural opening ceremony of a dragon dance and prayer from Reverend Shine and opening words from Pennsylvania Senator Vincent Hughes...Solutions for Progress who offered their space to allow the volunteers to do the taxes will be giving us 20 phone lines to do phone banking starting next Monday.”

We need your help! Join our efforts to recruit supporters for Barack in key states. Every single call will make a difference.All you need is a few minutes, a phone line, and a desire to help change the country:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/phonebankmap

Read the latest activity by our awesome grassroots supporters of Asian and Pacific descent on Asian Americans for Obama and read some of the latest testimonies of support for Obama on the Asian American Action Fund blog

Also...watch Maya in one of Barack’s latest campaign ads and read the Time Magazine article about Barack and Maya's mother, Ann.

Phones, Fellows & Fun

Konrad Ng — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 05:46:45 EDT

We need your help: Phonebank from home and help make a difference in key states. All you need is a few minutes, a phone line, and a desire to help change the country:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/phonebankmap

Want to learn how to change the world from the ground up? Apply to the Obama Organizing Fellows summer program and join a new generation of leaders. If you apply and are selected, you will learn the basics of political organizing and then be assigned to a community to put those organizing skills to work:

http://my.barackobama.com/fellows

Can't take the time away from work or your family to participate in the fellows program? You can still get involved:

Reach out to someone you know who may be interested in this program, and let them know we could use their help:

http://my.barackobama.com/fellowsinvite

House an Organizing Fellow -- If you have a spare room, you can help by offering housing to an Organizing Fellow near their training or near their eventual assignment. We haven't set locations for all of the trainings and assignments, but if you sign up, our staff will be in touch as the campaign grows:

http://my.barackobama.com/fellowshousing

Support this program by making a donation to this campaign:

https://donate.barackobama.com/fellowsdonate

Finally, catch up on the latest activity by our awesome grassroots supporters of Asian and Pacific descent:

http://www.asianamericansforobama.com

An exciting week...

Konrad Ng — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 08:53:41 EDT

Mar. 22nd: Philadelphia Chinatown Obama Office Opens at 924 Cherry Street, 2nd Floor. Check out these photos by Christopher Gabello: photo 1 and photo 2. Special thanks to Lee, Anna, Nina, Matt, HaiPei, Andy for their help and dedication. Anna writes: “In five hours, we registered over a 100 voters, MANY of them Asian Americans and Latinos that needed language assistance. We had voter registration forms in five languages, Obama literature in four languages…In addition to English, the languages spoken by our volunteers included Korean, Cambodian/Khmer, Mandarin, Fujianese, Portuguese, Cantonese, Bengali, and Spanish.”

Read two posts by AsianWeek columnist Philip Tajitsu Nash on A More Perfect Union, Barack’s speech on race in America.

Mar. 24th: Nash writes “Barack Obama’s presidential campaign has been historic from the start…”

Mar. 20th: Nash collects reactions to Barack’s speech from Asian and Pacific Islander leaders:

Gautam Dutta, Executive Director, AAA-Fund: “…we commend Senator Obama for candidly discussing one of the most important issues facing our country today.”
Wayne State Law School Dean Frank Wu: “…The historic nature of his candidacy is obvious to all, as is his racial identity. Yet his efforts to speak to the issue are surrounded by suspicion, and he is expected to follow a script that celebrates progress. He has shown his brilliance in meeting these demands while also noting the problems that remain and the work to be done…”
UCLA Law Professor Jerry Kang: “Obama’s speech is extraordinary because it is, to my mind, the most honest and complex analysis of race made by a candidate running for political office in my lifetime…”
University of North Carolina School of Law Professor Andrew Chin:“…Obama’s speech resonated so strongly because Americans have been starving for a substantive discussion on the racial divisions and grievances that have continued to afflict our beloved country in the decades since the civil rights movement…”
Selma D’Souza, Chicago attorney: “I am supporting Obama, and I am a delegate…[H]e is the best candidate to bridge the racial divide in this country…”
Ruthann Kurose, Seattle-based civil rights activist:“…I thought Obama’s speech on race was a courageous and authentic speech that, if not today, will one day be historic. He dealt with race in an honest and direct manner speaking of the resentments, frustrations and fears that issues of race too often reveals…”
Shubha Ghosh, Ph.D., J.D., Professor of Law, Southern Methodist University Dedman School of Law: “I am one of those who thinks Barack can do no wrong. I thought the speech was sincere, balanced, and forward looking…”
Caroline Fan, AAA-Fund Blog webmaster: “It was a masterful speech that details the complexities of how each of us navigates race, as well as the dilemma and rewards of being an American of mixed heritage. It was a profoundly American speech reflecting our nation’s history, shortcomings, and hope…”
Paul Igasaki, Washington-based civil rights attorney: “…Barack Obama is unusually balanced in his racial perceptions because of his mixed race background and because he has lived in multicultural Hawaii, racially divided Chicago and in Asia itself. We can benefit from the lesson on race relations Barack delivered today.”
John Hayakawa Torok, UC-Berkeley Ethnic Studies PhD candidate: “A powerful and moving speech, and quite charismatic…He sounds all the right notes about Americans of all hues and conditions coming together to strive for a more perfect union…”
Professor Greg Robinson, University of Quebec and Asian American history expert: “…It was at once frank and compassionate in discussing some of the troubles Americans have with dealing with race.”
Marybelle Ang, Los Angeles-based attorney: “This speech, for its honesty and courage and eloquence, is a pivotal moment for the Presidential race and one that future generations will look back upon with admiration. It is the kind of speech that blows you away by the sheer weight and force of truths expressed.”
Read the original post…

Mar. 24: Read John Delloro’s support of Obama: “…Obama represents the youth vote and it is the youth who acknowledge a multiracial future. I realized that this emerging voice signifies a better chance for a more democratic inclusion of the marginalized in our country. This new generation is our communities tomorrow and it is a future that I want my son to see, not the tired body of a father hunched over. I voted Obama for community and better tomorrows.” John is a longtime community organizer and Executive Director of the Dolores Huerta Labor Institute Read the entire post…

Mar. 22: Obama Statement Congratulating Taiwanese President-Elect Ma Ying-Jeou:

Chicago, IL
On March 22, the people of Taiwan went to the polls for the fourth time in 12 years to elect their President. I offer my congratulations to President-elect Ma for his victory, and best wishes for his presidency.
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. The PRC should reduce the military threat to Taiwan by drawing back the missiles it has deployed in southeast China and by other security confidence-building measures. And on issues such as Taiwan's observer status in the World Health Organization, where the health of all Chinese people is at stake, it should allow Taiwan greater international space.
The United States should respond to Ma Ying-jeou's election by rebuilding a relationship of trust and support for Taiwan's democracy. The U.S. should reopen blocked channels of communication with Taiwan officials. We should continue to provide the arms necessary for Taiwan to deter possible aggression. And we should encourage both Taipei and Beijing to build commercial, cultural, and other ties, laying the groundwork for a closer relationship and ultimately movement toward resolution of their differences. We should maintain our "one China" policy, our adherence to the three U.S.-PRC Joint Communiques concerning Taiwan, and observance of the Taiwan Relations Act, which lays out the legal basis for our relationship.
March 22nd was a good day for the people of Taiwan, for the forces of democracy around the world, and for peace and stability in the western Pacific. I will do all that I can to support Taiwan's democracy in the years ahead.

Mar. 21: Obama AAPI Leadership Council member Catherine Park worked with Christopher Nguyen on creating 3 PSAs with filmmakers, Ham Tran and Timothy Linh Bui, and actress-singer, Cat Tien, to reach out to the Vietnamese community in PA to register to vote. Watch the videos….

While we have won more states, more pledged delegates and lead in the popular vote, this campaign has been more than about winning the nomination. The campaign is about empowerment and moving beyond “a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism” so that we can transform the political map. Our spirit has been to echo Lincoln’s appeal to the “better angels of our nature” to address the urgent issues of our time: civil rights, economy, education, energy, environment, foreign policy, healthcare, immigration, poverty, security, trade, and war. We need your help:

Get to know Barack: http://my.barackobama.com/meetBarack

Join or organize local groups and events: http://my.barackobama.com

Spread the word: http://my.barackobama.com/invite

Help make online phone calls to potential voters: http://my.barackobama.com/call

Donate: http://donate.barackobama.com

Buy Obama campaign gear: http://store.barackobama.com (All purchases support the campaign and are considered political donations).

The Road to the Nomination

Konrad Ng — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 06:07:52 EDT

Up next: Pennsylvania Democratic Primary on April 22nd. Indiana and North Carolina Democratic Primaries on May 6th. Our ground game is strong, but an active grassroots network is crucial to our success. We need your help:

Meet Barack: http://my.barackobama.com/meetBarack

Learn about the issues: http://my.barackobama.com/issues

Know the facts: http://my.barackobama.com/factcheckaction

Join or organize local groups and events: http://my.barackobama.com

Spread the word: http://my.barackobama.com/invite

Help make online phone calls to potential voters: http://my.barackobama.com/call

Make Posters, flyers and organizing resources http://my.barackobama.com/resources

Donate: http://donate.barackobama.com

Buy Obama campaign gear: http://store.barackobama.com (All purchases support the campaign and are considered political donations).

Other news…

Watch: Supporter-created captioning of selected Barack videos for second language voters and voters who are deaf or hearing impaired. Thanks to Michael Novak and countless others for their help with spreading Barack’s message to these important communities.

Read: We’ve updated our list of testimonials by Americans of Asian descent. Click on the "Read more..." link in the Featured Testimonial section at the top of this homepage.

Read: The recent New York Times profile of Barack and Maya’s mother, Ann Dunham. The article highlights their mother’s development work in Asia and her influence on Barack and Maya; I think that the piece is touching.

Update…Read: “Why Asian Americans in Ohio and Pennsylvania Should Support Barack Obama” by Ted Lieu, CA Assembly Member and Chair of the CA State Assembly Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus.

Wyoming, Mississippi and Pennsylvania

Konrad Ng — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 02:11:02 EST

The race for the nomination continues with stops in Wyoming, Mississippi and Pennsylvania. Please help make phone calls to potential voters in those states.

More news…

Barack makes the front page in World Journal, the large Chinese-language daily. Read the front page here and pages two and three here.

Here is the English language translation.

Also, here is a higher quality version of my interview with World Journal
and a link to the original article.

The Focus on March 4th: Update

Konrad Ng — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 19:02:25 EST

Below is an updated list of links to phone canvass people of Asian descent in Texas

All you need is a phone and a computer with an internet connection to make these calls. We need your help. Click on the following links to get started:

Vietnamese American Calls

Chinese American Calls

South Asian American Calls

Korean American Calls

Want to make calls to people in other states on March 4th?Click here to visit the campaign's Call Center

We would have liked to target even more ethnic communities for the TX call program, but limitations in the voter databases we received for TX prevented meaningfully identifying more ethnic groups to target for this specific call program.

And check this out...Fellow Obama blogger, Greg Hauenstein, interviews journalist, Lisa Ling, as she volunteers for the campaign in Austin. Read and watch the interview here.

The Focus On March 4th

Konrad Ng — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 04:52:36 EST

We're working on catching up with all your requests and appreciate your good ideas on how to continue the momentum. For now, our focus is on the next states during this nominating process: Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island. The race remains competitive and we need help with spreading Barack's message with clarity - phone, email, canvass, write, donate - we need your help in these states.

I earned my PhD in political science and I can tell you, rarely has there been campaign or candidate similar to the one modeled by Barack. The experience is exhilarating and the breadth of support we have from Americans of Asian and Pacific descent is incredible. I am inspired by how our volunteers, supporters and staff of Asian and Pacific descent carry the grace and elegance of our heritage as part of this campaign. I am inspired by the commitment of Barack's Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders National Leadership Council. I am inspired by the hard work and advocacy of groups such as Asian Pacific Americans for Progress, Asian American Action Fund of Greater Chicago, Asian Americans for Obama, Chinese Americans for Obama, Filipino Americans for Obama, Korean Americans for Obama and South Asians for Obama. We are witnessing a truly grassroots movement threading through every corner of our nation. Across states, language and generations, these people represent our complexity and affirm our voice in politics. Together, we show that people of Asian and Pacific descent stand behind Barack as our choice for President. Slowly and steadily, one family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker and voter at a time, we can fulfill the promise of this campaign.

Get Your Official AAPI for Obama Gear: Buttons, Round stickers andBumper stickers. All purchases go to support the campaign and are considered political donations.

Want to help Barack win Texas? Phone canvass people of Asian or Pacific descent

All you need is a phone and a computer with an internet connection to make these calls. Click on the following links to get started:

Vietnamese American Calls

Chinese American Calls

South Asian American Calls

Korean American Calls [link to be finalized shortly]

Upcoming AAPI Events in Texas...

We are extremely honored to have Secretary Norman Mineta - former Member of Congress and Secretary of Transportation and the first AAPI Cabinet official - come to Texas this weekend and campaign on Barack's behalf in the AAPI community. Events are open to the public and the media.

Sat. Mar. 1st:

Dallas: Secretary Mineta will appear at a meet and greet event will be held at the Shui Wah Restaurant, at 400 N Greenville Ave., in Richardson at 2:45 PM.

Dallas: Secretary Mineta will also visit the Dallas Headquarters of the campaign, 1409 S. Lamar St., Suite 011, to meet with volunteers and supporters.

Sun. Mar. 2nd:

Houston: Secretary Mineta will visit the Houston headquarters of the Obama campaign (3701 Travis) at 10:45 AM.

Austin: Barack House Party with television host Lisa Ling, actress Kelly Hu and actress Kate Walsh. Address is 3604 Windsor Road, Austin at 5:30 PM. More details here.

Recent AAPI for Obama Media...

Actor Kal Penn urges Ohioans to vote for Barack!

Check out supporter generated content by Michael Novak - Obama videos with subtitles in Asian languages! Thank you, Michael.

South Asian Journalist Association debate on the 2008 elections with Preeta Bansal,former Solicitor General of New York State; a past lawyer in the Clinton White House and Justice Department; and a member of several Obama national policy committees and outreach teams.

Feb. 26: "Barack Obama: A Candidate Whose Time Has Come," Op-Ed by Prof. Ronald Takaki, professor of Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley and author of A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America: "A leader of vision, Obama has reached for the ties that bind -- Lincoln's 'mystic chords of memory', seeking to unite us as a diverse people belonging to one nation." Read the Op-Ed.

Feb. 24: "Obama embraces Asian cultures and values," my article in World Journal: Read the article in Chinese or Read the article in English.

Feb. 22: "Why I Changed from Clinton to Obama," Op-Ed in the Korean Daily by Prof. Grace Yoo, associate professor of Asian American Studies at San Francisco State University. She is trained as a medical sociologist with research interests in health care access and uninsured Asian Americans. She writes: "Obama's health care plan is about affordability which truly gives uninsured Americans options." Read the Op-Ed in Korean here or Read the Op-Ed in English here.

Feb. 22: "Why Obama Is the Best Change Leader," Op-Ed in Korea Times (TX) by Dr. Benham Tabrizi, notable expert on organizational change management, best-selling author Rapid Transformation and works extensively with Silicon Valley top executives: Read the Op-Ed in Korean or Read the Op-Ed in English.

Feb. 21: Asians for Obama! Editorial in AsianWeek: AsianWeek writes about Obama's overwhelming support among AAPIs in Hawaii: "Obama has brought tangible hope to all Americans. The reality of Asian American support for Obama presages the destiny of this country. Within our lifetimes, most Americans will be people of color, including the president of the United States." Read the rest here

Feb. 19: Op-Ed in Korea Times by Susan Ahn Cuddy, a Korean American pioneer; daughter of Dosan Chang Ho and Helen Ahn, the first Korean married couple to immigrate to the United States in 1902: Read the Op-Ed in Korean or Read the Op-Ed in English.

Feb. 18: "Obama's Better Judgment on the Iraq War," Op-Ed in Korea Daily (TX) by Anthony K. Lee, Lee is a San Francisco lawyer and Harvard Law School classmate of Barack: Read the Op-Ed in Korean or Read the Op-Ed in English.

You Can Make A Difference

Konrad Ng — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 04:31:17 EST

As the campaign moves to key contests in Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island, you can help make a difference. A strong grassroots network is crucial to our success. Here are a few ways you help:

Know Barack:  http://my.barackobama.com/meetBarack

Learn about the issues: http://my.barackobama.com/issues

Know the facts: http://my.barackobama.com/factcheckaction

Join or organize local groups and events: http://my.barackobama.com

Spread the word: http://my.barackobama.com/invite

Help make phone calls to potential voters: http://my.barackobama.com/call

Make posters, flyers or other organizing resources: http://my.barackobama.com/resources

Donate: http://donate.barackobama.com

New to the campaign's online store - we have AAPI for Obama buttons and very soon, stickers! All purchases go to support the campaign and are considered political donations. Show your support in style: http://store.barackobama.com

Recent statements from Barack on issues relating to Asian Americans:

February 29, 2008 - Barack Obama's Op-Ed in India Abroad
"I will be a President who draws upon the energy and expertise of the Indian-American community…Like so many Indian Americans, my father arrived in America without money, but with a student visa and a determination to live his dreams...My family didn't have money or status, but like so many Indian-American families, they gave me love, and education, and hope - hope that in America, we can live our dreams, and in living our dreams we can contribute to the dreams of all Americans..."
Read the entire op-ed here
February 25, 2008 - Barack Obama's Statement on the Filipino People Power Day and the Filipino Veterans Equity Act
Chicago, IL -- Twenty-two years after the People Power Revolution in the Philippines, we remember and commemorate the Filipino people who used the democratic, non-violent method of “people power” to overthrow the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos and end the martial law regime that ruled the Philippines for fourteen years.
On this anniversary, I urge my colleagues in Congress to honor the Filipino veterans who bravely fought with American troops in World War II. Approximately 250,000 Filipino troops joined American forces to fight in World War II, but too many of these heroes are still being denied benefits. The time has come for Congress to honor the Filipino veterans of World War II by finally enacting the Filipino Veterans Equity Act of 2007. I applaud Chairman Akaka’s leadership on this issue and will continue to urge my colleagues to provide the benefits and recognition these veterans deserve.
Today, let us join Filipinos in America to honor the sacrifices and determination of the Filipino people in the tireless fight for democracy and freedom.
February 19, 2008 - Barack Obama’s Day of Remembrance Statement
Chicago, IL - This is a day of remembrance not just for Japanese Americans, but for all Americans. The internment of Japanese Americans during World War II was one of the darkest moments in our nation's history - a moment when fear led us to compromise our most fundamental rights. Today, as we once again weigh the demands of security and liberty, let's remember that it's in times like these - times of great national challenge - when our ideals of justice and equality are tested most, and when it's most important that we uphold them. These are ideals that Japanese Americans have always upheld with dignity, and these are ideals that I will uphold each and every day as President of the United States.

Obama wins the Hawai‘i Democratic Caucus with 76% of the vote! Americans of Asian and Pacific descent compose a majority in Hawai'i. Thanks to Congressmen Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawai'i) and Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) and Hawai'i-born actress Kelly Hu for their tireless campaigning in Hawai'i. Read the post-caucus reports: Honolulu Advertiser: "Obama swept all of Hawaii's 51 districts" and Honolulu Star Bulletin: "Obama's appeal sweeps isles"

Preeta Bansal, former Solicitor General of the State of New York, Commissioner and past Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and former special counsel in the Clinton White House and Justice Department, wrote this op-ed for India Abroad: "Senator Obama – through the multitude of his life experiences and the calm, respectful style of his leadership – is someone who naturally and instinctively bridges so many divides. He connects and brings together the global background of his youth with the local communities he organized as an adult; the ordinary experiences of working class people in America and globally with the perspectives of highly educated academics, policymakers and professionals; the blue states of Democrats with the red states from which his mother and grandparents came. Because governing and tackling the major challenges facing our nation these days require more than a bare majority of support, it is essential that we elect someone who in style and substance is able and willing to reach out beyond the traditional Democratic “base”, and who can inspire large numbers of American citizens to transcend the often-bitter attempts in our politics to divide us. Read the entire op-ed here.

Watch these two supporter-created videos that bridge Asian and Latino voters: Obama immigration advisor Professor Bill Hing's creative flair is on display in La Bamba Obama and watch "Si Se Puede Cambiar" (Yes We Can Change), performed by Andres Useche, edited by Warren Fu and produced by Eric Byler and Annabel Park.

Want to know what is it like in Texas? Watch spirited Obama supporter Ramey Ko rally the crowd!

Imua Obama 'Ohana - Hawai'i, Our Moment is Now

Konrad Ng — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 04:54:14 EST

"And if you will stand with me…if you will stand for change so that our children have the same chance that somebody gave us; if you'll stand to keep the American dream alive for those who still hunger for opportunity and thirst for justice; if you're ready to stop settling for what the cynics tell you you must accept, and finally reach for what you know is possible, then we will win this caucus, we will win this election, we will change the course of history, and the real journey - to heal a nation and repair the world - will have truly begun."-- Barack Obama, Des Moines, IA | Dec. 27, 2007

Aloha, Barack's brother-in-law with another post from Hawai'i. I can't put it any other way: It's time to caucus and Maya and I are fired up and ready to go! For the first time in recent memory, the outcome of Hawaii's Democratic caucus will help determine the next President of the United States. Indeed, as CNN reported on Monday: Hawaii's in Play. While Barack has local ties, we need the help of every Obama supporter in every district. We need you to wave Obama signs, wear Obama stickers and gear. We need you to bring people to the caucus. Arrive early at your caucus site and look for the Obama district captain. He or she can give you further instructions and if you're interested in helping more, he or she can assign you a role (from distributing stickers to helping people register). Slowly and steadily, one family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker and voter at a time, we can fulfill the promise of this campaign. Let your voice be heard. Make your choice count.

Caucus Information: Doors open between 6:00 PM and 6:30 PM. Arrive early. Caucuses begin at 7:00 PM.

Find Your Caucus Location

Hawai'i Top 10 Caucus Facts

Questions? Call Obama for America - Hawai'i at: (808) 591-0468 or (808) 253-8117 or Hawaii@barackobama.com. If a serious problem arises at your caucus location, call the Obama Election Protection Hotline at (312) 819-2751.

Hawai'i in the news:

KITV: "Democratic Campaigns Hustle & Bustle Before Caucus"

KGMB: "Obama Camp Makes Final Push"

KHON: "Hawaii Democratic caucuses to have national implications"

Story in the Chicago Tribune

Finally, we want to thank the hundreds of tireless Hawai'i Obamateers. You are proof that we have reason to believe again - mahalo for your support. Here are some recent pictures from the campaign trail:

Hawai'i Congressman Neil Abercrombie

American Samoa Congressman Eni Faleomavaega

Maya Soetoro-Ng and Kelly Hu meeting supporters

Hawai'i State Lawmakers for Obama

Obama Hawaii State Director Andy Winer and Obama Staffer Caroline Grey

Thanks to Keith and George for the pictures.

Postcard from Hawai’i: Obama-sadas in the park

Konrad Ng — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 02:53:49 EST

Aloha, Barack’s brother-in-law writing from Hawai'i. On Tue. Feb. 19, it’s our state's turn to be heard. The Hawai‘i Democratic Party expects unprecedented voter turnout and we need the help of every Barack supporter in every district.

Find your district.

Volunteer to make calls to Hawai‘i voters and/or assist your caucus district’s Obama team.

Join us at Monday’s Presidents’ Day Rally with Congressman Neil Abercrombie, American Samoa Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, Hawai’i-born actress Kelly Hu and Barack’s sister, Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng. 3 pm at Farrington High School.

The much adored malasada, the deliciously sweet Portuguese delicacy, was in abundance at Sunday’s Obama Ohana Potluck in Kapiolani Park. The Obama-sadas were compliments of Obama friends, Bobby, Mina and the Schneider family. Our daughter ate a bunch! Hundreds of Obama supporters gathered at the event to listen to Congressman Abercrombie, American Samoa Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, Hawai’i-born actress Kelly Hu and Maya. Check out the local television coverage: KITV, KHNL, KGMB

Update: Monday's Honolulu Advertiser article on the rally: Diversity evident in Obama's Waikiki rally and Honolulu Star-Bulletin article on the rally: Obama backers stress importance of caucuses

On Saturday, 23 Hawai’i lawmakers endorsed Barack! At a press conference held at the Hawai’i State Capitol, the lawmakers spoke of Obama’s ability to unite the country:

Congressman Abercrombie: “Barack Obama’s vision for this country, his character, is fundamentally shaped by Hawaii’s multicultural society. He grew up in the spirit of aloha.”

Sen. Clarence Nishihara: “People of this country, regardless of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation are yearning for a leader who can bring our country together, restore hope in America, and get the job of president done. Barack Obama is that leader.”

Honolulu City Councilmember Ann Kobayashi: “Barack Obama is our chance to elect a native son President."

Endorsers include: State Senator Clayton Hee, Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser, State Senator Les Ihara, Senate Vice President Donna Mercado Kim, State Senator Russell Kokubun, State Senator Clarence Nishihara, State Senator Norman Sakamoto, State Representative Karen Awana, State Representative Lyla Berg, State Representative Joe Bertram, State Representative Tom Brower, State Representative Mele Carroll, State Representative Robert Herkes, State Representative Jon Riki Karamatsu, State Representative Michael Magoay, State Representative Joey Manahan, State Representative. Marcus Oshiroi, State Representative Scott Saiki, State Representative Alex Sonson, State Representative Mark Takai, State Representative Glenn Wakai, State Representative Tommy Waters, Honolulu Councilmember Ann Kobayashi.

On Saturday, I wrote about Maya’s visit to Maui. Read this report posted on Daily Kos about Maya’s visit and The Maui News published this article:

Barack Obama's half sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, said she isn't taking "anything for granted" in the Hawaii Democratic caucuses on Tuesday.
But "I'm hoping he'll do very well indeed," Soetoro-Ng said today before speaking before nearly 200 people at a Maui Democratic Century Club luncheon at the Maui Tropical Plantation. "I hope that people make sure Hawaii is heard and seen."
As Soetoro-Ng has done in other speeches in the islands, she touted her brother's Hawaii ties and pulled on local heartstrings.,
Read the entire story here.

On Friday, Barack gave separate interviews with local television networks. It’s good stuff – watch them:

KGMB’s interview with Barack.

KITV’s interview with Barack.

KHNL’s interview with Barack.

Equally as important as Sunday’s endorsement by the Honolulu Advertiser is the paper’s publication of 5 letters by Hawai’i high school students. Each of the students wrote about why they supported Barack!

Caitlin Mori, Grade 10, Sacred Hearts: “His views on the economy, the war and healthcare have given many of them inspiration, hope for the future, a newfound interest in participation in government and a way to get rid of the craziness of trying the same old thing.”

Marcela Gamboa, Grade 11, Kalani High School: “From tax cuts to working people, affordable healthcare and better Social Security, Obama is a breath of fresh air — and just who we need as our president.”

Paige Takeya, Grade 12, Mililani High School: “Obama promises change that hails back to the American dream: that this is a country where anyone can achieve anything if they set their mind to it, and that you don't have to be in politics for 20 years to become president and remake the world.”

Yuki Bailey, Grade 11, Punahou School: “more than experience, audacity is needed to go against traditions and conventions, and thus propel the country through much-needed changes. Open-mindedness and fearlessness combined allow for change."

Makana Eyre, Grade 12, Waldorf School: “I believe that despite the fact that Barack Obama is a young man, he can change American politics for the better."

More updates coming soon...

Surfing the Obama waves in Hawai'i

Konrad Ng — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 23:55:58 EST

Aloha! Barack's brother-in-law writing. Please join us at Sunday's Obama Ohana Potluck and Beach Canvass and Monday's Presidents' Day Rally.

On Saturday, Maya campaigned on Maui to "Ba-rock the neighbor islands." Last week, we visited Kauai while Obama endorser, Hawai'i Congressman Neil Abercrombie, made rounds on the Big Island. It's clear that the neighbor islands are energized by Barack's candidacy, but we need to maintain that support through to the Hawai'i caucus on Tue. Feb. 19 and beyond. The Hawai'i Democratic Party expects high voter turnout and we need the help of every Barack supporter in every district.

Find your district.

Volunteer to make calls to Hawai'i voters.

Join your caucus district's Obama team to help with registration, driving, sign waving and handing out stickers.

I met many enthusiastic supporters at Friday's Obama events: There was Desi, an independent voter who lives on O'ahu's North Shore. Barack was the first candidate Desi donated money to and she plans to caucus for him on Feb. 19. I met Henry, an Independent Living Specialist, who asked about Barack's stance on disabilities. We communicated about Barack's advocacy for people with disabilities and I directed him to the ISSUES section of barackobama.com. I listened to Alonzo, a very fit man in his mid-80s, express his enthusiasm for Barack. And there were the tireless volunteers of Students For Barack Obama like Ria and Sharon. A while ago, I asked Ria why she supports Barack. She replied: "The entire campaign, which I would like to call a movement, has personally affected me. I find myself believing in opportunities again, and regaining hope in ‘hope’ itself. It's definitely had a positive effect in my life. Again, it's not just a campaign with desired ends pointing to the White House, it's become an engaging tool for maximizing our potential as a country." Ria is a student at the University of Hawai'i (UH) and served as a congressional intern under the Hon. Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam). She also volunteers for the National Federation of Filipino-American Association. Sharon is an American Studies major at UH. They're both featured in this video from the Honolulu Advertiser, along with Maya, Kelly and Obama supporters Bea and local musician, John Cruz. Ria leads the "Fired Up, Ready To Go!" cheer at the beginning of the video.

More news:

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin’s interview with Barack:

Barack Obama says Hawaii “already has so many good things working for it.”
What it needs, the 46-year-old Illinois Democratic senator says, is a president who “appreciates what a jewel Hawaii is.”
In a telephone interview yesterday with the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Obama said he has concerns for the state of his birth.
“There are obviously very real needs that Hawaii is facing. I want to be a president because I am familiar with those problems, and I want to help with issues like mass transit and ... high energy costs,” Obama said, speaking during a campaign stop in Wisconsin.
Obama, noting that his grandmother, sister, brother-in-law and niece live in Honolulu, said he has visited Hawaii every year for the past 25 years, but this year the campaign for president has precluded a trip.
Read the entire story here

The Honolulu Advertiser’s interview with Barack:

“I know the people of Hawai'i. I know the problems of Hawai'i. I know the opportunities of Hawai'i. And the culture is my culture. I learned very early on in Hawai'i how to bring people together, all the different cultures and that spirit of aloha that's so important.
"And that means that, from a practical perspective, I'm going to be constantly listening to Hawai'i in a way that I don't think another presidential candidate would do. I've got extremely close relationships with the people of Hawai'i; my grandmother still lives there, my sister still lives there, so I think that people can count on me caring about Hawai'i in a way that is unique.
"This is the first opportunity in history for the people of Hawai'i to have somebody in the Oval Office who is one of their own."
Read the entire story here.

NPR has a story about the Obama campaign in Hawai'i:

Brian Schatz, a former state legislator and the spokesman for the Hawaii Obama campaign, was excited. “One of the things we're so proud of, with respect to Sen. Obama, is his message: one of unifying the nation around a common purpose. We think he learned some of his best lessons here about diversity — not dividing us, but rather, defining us,” Schatz said…
Grace Kalikton is one of about 20 volunteers working for that change. A second generation Filipino-American, she moved to Hawaii from Washington, D.C., shortly after the Clinton administration ended. She arrived on the islands disillusioned, broken-hearted, and wanting nothing more to do with electoral politics, she said — until now. “When Barack Obama came on the scene, I got re-energized again, and I began to believe again. I have never been as excited,” she said.
Read the entire story here.

The Associated Press wrote this article about Obama and Hawai‘i:

The Illinois senator, who was born in Hawaii and spent most of his first 18 years here, is a source of pride for many of the state's voters. “How often do you have a guy from Hawaii who could very well be the next president of the United States?” Jacce Mikulanec, an Obama district captain on Oahu, asked. "People are very excited about that."
Read the entire story here.

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin’s report about the Stand for Change Rally at UH

The Honolulu Advertiser’s report about the Stand for Change Rally at UH.

Finally, in case you missed them, here are two of my earlier posts about “Ba-rocking Hawai’i”: Maya and Kelly and Postcard from Hawai’i.

Ba-rocking in Hawai’i with Maya Soetoro-Ng and Kelly Hu

Konrad Ng — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 05:26:22 EST

Aloha! On Friday, I attended the Stand for Change Rally at the University of Hawai'i (UH) with Hawai'i-born actress Kelly Hu and Maya. The energy at the rally was terrific. It was inspiring to watch them deliver an elegant and compelling argument for Barack. Over 150 people listened to Kelly and Maya explain why people should support Barack and both described their experiences on the campaign trail. Kelly has been a tireless "Obamateer" and a strong Obama advocate in the Asian Pacific American community. She also stars in the excellent Yes We Can music video.

Watch the local television coverage of the event:

KITV has this report: "Hundreds Attend University Obama Rally"

KHON has this report: "Obama Rally at UH Features Actress Kelly Hu"

KHNL reports on the election excitement in Hawai'i.

The rally at UH was a special event for us as the school is part of our family. Maya and I met at UH while earning our PhDs. Barack and Maya's mother earned her PhD from UH. The university campus, specifically the East-West Center, is the place where they held the wake for their mother.

More updates coming soon.

It’s About Getting Out the Caucus

Konrad Ng — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 22:32:46 EST

Wow! I just attended the UH Rally with Kelly Hu and Maya and the energy was terrific. In four days - on Tue. Feb. 19 at 6:30 pm - people across the state will gather in schools and community centers in their neighborhoods to help decide the next Democratic nominee for president. There are more than 50 district meetings at over 65 locations across the state. The Hawai'i Democratic Party expects unprecedented turnout and we need the help of every Barack supporter in every district. This SAT. FEB. 16, attend a Hawai'i Get Out The Caucus (GOTC) Phonebank. Help us make calls for Barack and keep the momentum going in Hawai'i. At 5 pm, Barack will be making a special conference call to volunteers to talk about the campaign and thank you for your work. No prior experience is required.

Longtime Obama supporter, Hawai'i Congressman Neil Abercrombie, has a great op-ed in today's Honolulu Advertiser:

"Barack Obama's story could not have started anywhere else in the world but Hawai'i. The values of the Sen. Obama we consider for the presidency this coming Tuesday are grounded in the aloha spirit. The foundation of his character was shaped by Hawai'i's multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society informed by the meaning of aloha. Above all, Sen. Obama embodies the message of Hawai'i to the world: Our diversity defines us rather than divides us. That message is electrifying voters all across the nation. It is a message of unity, hope, optimism and promise. It accounts for the tidal wave of support Sen. Obama is building, which I trust will crest in Hawai'i. He is galvanizing the Democratic Party base and growing the vote as well — independents, disillusioned Republicans, disaffected and troubled Americans everywhere are filled with a renewed sense of possibility in America's future"

Read the rest of the article here.

Today, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin published, "What I can tell you about Barack Obama." This piece was written by Tony Peterson, a book and magazine editor for the United Methodist Church. Tony graduated from Punahou, the same high school as Barack. Tony writes:

"...what impresses me most about Barack Obama is not simply that he has the stuff to back up his hope and inspiration. His approach to the presidency is one of deep thoughtfulness. He exhibits quick judgment when absolutely necessary, and when issues require deeper thought, he reflects and then finds the way to solve problems. Punahou taught us to think, to pursue excellence in all areas and to serve the world. Barack Obama's Illinois state record and his U.S. Senate record reflect this same thoughtfulness, excellence and service."

Read the rest of the article here.

More local media coverage: TV station KITV covers Barack's new Hawai'i radio ad.

TV station KHON has a brief clip about the importance of winning Hawai'i to Barack.

And here are a few of the Stand for Change events planned over the following days:

Sunday's Obama Ohana Potluck and Beach Canvass in Kapiolani Park.

Monday's Presidents' Day Rally with Congressman Neil Abercrombie, Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng and Kelly Hu.

On a personal note, I am an assistant professor in the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawai'i. I earned my PhD in political science, and I can tell you -- rarely has there been a campaign or candidate quite like this one. Watching this campaign, I have witnessed a truly grassroots movement threading through every corner of our nation and beyond. People of every age, class, race, profession and gender have volunteered their time, skills and energy. They tell me how they have felt buoyed by the powerful experience of shared hopes and common ground. They tell me how Barack motivates us to become better versions of ourselves. Each time Barack delivers his vision for America, I feel part of history.

Postcard from Hawai'i...

Konrad Ng — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:25:31 EST

Aloha! In four days - on Tue. Feb. 19 at 6:30 pm - people across the state will gather in schools and community centers in their neighborhoods to help decide the next Democratic nominee for president. There are more than 50 district meetings at over 65 locations across the state. The Hawai'i Democratic Party expects unprecedented turnout and we need the help of every Barack supporter in every district. Help us make calls for Barack and keep the momentum going in Hawai'i. If you make calls, be sure to note the current local time in Hawai'i.

Longtime Obama supporter, Hawai'i Congressman Neil Abercrombie, writes this great op-ed for the Honolulu Advertiser

February 15, 2008
Obama will break through gridlock
I first met Sen. Barack Obama's father at the University of Hawai'i-Manoa campus soon after my arrival there following statehood in 1959. Barack Sr. had just arrived from a newly independent nation -- Kenya. Everyone was drawn to his dynamic, energetic manner. His intellect was as brilliant as his smile; his personality was every bit as magnetic and charismatic as is his son's.
Shortly thereafter, Sen. Obama's mother appeared, scarcely 18, quiet yet intense in her demeanor, outwardly calm but possessed of an adventurous spirit and openness of heart toward everyone. They met and married, and in time, little Barry, as we knew him then, was born, perhaps destined to become president of the United States.
Barack Obama's story could not have started anywhere else in the world but Hawai'i. The values of the Sen. Obama we consider for the presidency this coming Tuesday are grounded in the aloha spirit. The foundation of his character was shaped by Hawai'i's multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society informed by the meaning of aloha. Above all, Sen. Obama embodies the message of Hawai'i to the world: Our diversity defines us rather than divides us.
That message is electrifying voters all across the nation. It is a message of unity, hope, optimism and promise. It accounts for the tidal wave of support Sen. Obama is building, which I trust will crest in Hawai'i.
He is galvanizing the Democratic Party base and growing the vote as well -- independents, disillusioned Republicans, disaffected and troubled Americans everywhere are filled with a renewed sense of possibility in America's future.
His nomination will be the antidote to the political poison now strangling the nation. It will bring the fresh air of change the country so desperately needs.
The signature "issue" in opposition to his nomination is the notion of his experience. But America's experience over the past two administrations has been that of polarization and gridlock -- intractable and relentless. No other candidate in either party offers a way out of this division. The negatives are hard-wired.
Barack Obama's nomination will break through the polarization and gridlock. It will be unifying and inspirational. A rush of positive energy will sweep the nation. The direction of the nation will change; a page of history will turn toward a renewed vision of the best the United States has to offer the world.
Barack Obama's election as president will instantly alter the picture the world has of the United States. People will cheer the dawning of a new day in our relations with the community of nations. His election will signal a new readiness for dialogue and openness, rather than threatening the world from behind a curtain of fear.
Hawai'i has before it an incredible opportunity. A son of Hawai'i is on the brink of becoming president of the United States. Let us seize this moment, perhaps never to appear again in our time. Let us stand with our brother, Barack Obama.

More local media coverage: TV station KITV covers Barack's new Hawai'i radio ad.

TV station KHON has a brief clip about the importance of winning Hawai'i to Barack.

And here are a few of the Stand for Change events planned over the following days:

Today's Stand for Change Rally with Kelly Hu, Maya Soetoro-Ng and John Cruz

Sunday's Obama Ohana Potluck and Beach Canvass in Kapiolani Park.

Monday's Presidents' Day Rally with Congressman Neil Abercrombie, Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng and Kelly Hu.

On a personal note, I'm an assistant professor in the Academy for Creative Media at the University of Hawai'i. I earned my PhD in political science, and I can tell you -- rarely has there been a campaign or candidate quite like this one. Watching this campaign, I have witnessed a truly grassroots movement threading through every corner of our nation and beyond. People of every age, class, race, profession and gender have volunteered their time, skills and energy. They tell me how they have felt buoyed by the powerful experience of shared hopes and common ground. They tell me how Barack motivates us to become better versions of ourselves. Each time Barack delivers his vision for America, I feel part of history.

Ba-rock the Hawai'i Caucus: Get involved today!

Konrad Ng — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 15:39:38 EST

In four days – on Tue. Feb. 19 at 6:30 pm – people across the state will gather in schools and community centers in their neighborhoods to help decide the next Democratic nominee for president. There are more than 200 precinct meetings at over 65 locations across the state. The Hawai‘i Democratic Party expects unprecedented voter turnout and we need the help of every Barack supporter in every district.

Find your district.

Volunteer to make calls to Hawai‘i voters.

Join your caucus district's Obama team to help with registration, driving, sign waving and handing out stickers.

It's going to be a fun night as we Barack the Rock!

Check out recent local press coverage about the campaign:

KITV covers Barack's new Hawai'i radio ad.

KHON has a brief clip about the importance of winning Hawai'i to Barack.

And join us at:

Today's Stand for Change Rally with Kelly Hu, Maya Soetoro-Ng and John Cruz

Sunday's Obama Ohana Potluck and Beach Canvass in Kapiolani Park.

Monday's Presidents’ Day Rally with Congressman Neil Abercrombie, Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng and Kelly Hu.

Transforming the Political Map - Hawai'i Style

Konrad Ng — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:46:26 EST

Konrad Ng is Barack Obama's brother-in-law.

“They said that this day would never come.” The Obama campaign has accomplished what the cynics and the Washington establishment thought would be impossible. We started with modest resources and recognition. We began with a call to change our politics, knowing that business as usual just won’t do. We responded to criticism with steady principles and an open invitation to solve the issues together. We relied on small donations from everyday American people and said no to special interest groups and federal lobbyists. We built a national campaign from the ground-up, riding on the perseverance of a diverse coalition of staff and volunteers to energize Democrats, win in Red States and attract Independents.

Over the last 7 days, voters in Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington, US Virgin Islands, Virginia, Maryland and DC overwhelmingly stood with Barack. Since Jan. 3, 2008, Barack has won 23 of 34 primaries and caucuses with New Mexico still undeclared. Across the nation, Barack has shown that he can win across age, region, gender, race and class.

The political map is being transformed and Hawai‘i, it’s our turn.

Despite Barack’s local ties, the race is competitive. We need help with spreading Barack’s message in our community and beyond - phone, email, canvass, write, talk story, donate - we need a good ground game to get out the caucus. Slowly and steadily, one family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker and voter at a time, we can fulfill the promise of this campaign. Let’s make history at the Hawai‘i caucus on Feb. 19, 2008.

Want to get involved? Call 808-253-8117 or email Hawaii@barackobama.com or visit http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/higotc.

First Time at the Caucus? Maya worked with local grassroots supporters to produce this video explaining the Hawai'i Democratic Caucus.

Speaking of caucuses, check out the caucus buzz in the local television stations. So far, the interest in the Hawai'i Democratic Caucus is unprecedented - the excitement is palpable. The Hawai'i Democratic Party is preparing for a record-breaking turnout. Watch these short news reports featuring Maya's visit to Obama volunteer centers across Honolulu as well as the enthusiasm of "Obamateer" Molly Wilkinson:

KGMB: "Clinton, Obama Vying For Hawaii Votes"

KITV: "Hawaii Caucus Could Impact Democratic Race"

KHON: "Battle for Hawaii Votes Heats Up"

Finally, check out this endorsement from late Jan.: Susan Ahn Cuddy, the 1st female gunner officer in the U.S. Navy, endorsed Barack. Fellow Obama blogger, Frank, wrote that Susan "stated that Barack reminds her of her father, Korean independence fighter Dosan Ahn Chang Ho. Susan attended a townhall event with Barack on Jan. 31 at Los Angeles Trade Tech College. Appropriately enough, the townhall event took place near the 10 and 110 freeway interchange, which was dedicated to and renamed after Dosan Ahn Chang Ho."

Transforming the Political Map

Konrad Ng — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:50:30 EST

Over the last 6 days, voters in Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington, US Virgin Islands, Virginia, Maryland and DC overwhelmingly stood with Barack. Since Jan. 3, 2008, Barack has won 23 of 34 primaries and caucuses with New Mexico still undeclared. The political map is being transformed and Americans of Asian and Pacific descent have played a crucial role in this movement for change. You have helped communicate and translate the principles and policies of this campaign. When confronted with challenges, you have seen opportunity rather than an insurmountable situation. As a result, slowly and steadily, one family member, friend, neighbor, co-worker and voter at a time, we are fulfilling the promise of this campaign. It's clear - the Obama campaign has a vigorous grassroots support base among the AAPI community and you have made a difference in this race. Barack spent many years as a community organizer and like you, he knows that real change takes place from the ground-up.

As the campaign moves to key contests in Wisconsin, Hawaii, Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island, we're working on catching up with all your requests and appreciate your good ideas on how to continue the momentum. The race remains competitive and we need help with spreading Barack's message with clarity in our community and beyond - phone, email, canvass, write, donate - we need help to get out the vote. We can win this nomination.

Here are some terrific profiles, endorsements and letters from past two weeks.

An Australian newspaper’s profile of N. Minh Le, an Obama supporter in Maryland.

Washington Post article on people of color involved in campaigns – it includes profiles of Obama supporters, Annabel Park and Dave Kumar.

On Feb. 10, Maryland House Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve endorsed Obama.

Grand Lum, a mediator, author and lecturer on negotiation at UC Berkeley Law School, wrote this Op-Ed in the San Francisco Chronicle. Lum states "Obama's experience lends him credibility on issues of difference that no previous presidential candidate has had in my lifetime…An Obama presidency would unite this country and the world."

Bill Ong Hing, a professor at UC Davis in the King Law School and Asian American Studies. A renowned scholar in immigration and Asian Americans, Professor Hing is a member of the Obama Immigration Policy Team, along with equally respected immigration law experts and professors Kevin Johnson and Jennifer Chacon. Hing wrote this letter of support. Hing states: "He is special. So special, that while he may be a once-in-a-lifetime President for my children, this could be the second time in my life that I truly can be inspired by the President of the United States--a President who has the ability to inspire Americans to come together, to engage in community service, to be better persons, to strive to do great things in the interest of humankind. A President who is not afraid to share his inspirational idealism."

"Why Should I Vote for You?"

Konrad Ng — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:10:35 EST

Yesterday, during a question and answer session in Virginia, an undecided voter from Hawai'i asked Barack why she should vote for him. Watch his excellent response here.

Read local boy AJ Halagao's great letter in support of Barack in the January 30, 2008 edition of the Philippines News, which is the most widely circulated Filipino paper in the U.S. For AJ, Barack has launched an "extraordinary campaign that has been dynamic, dignified and painstakingly positive" and he highlights Barack's support for the Equity for Filipino Veterans Act, which will "fulfill America's promise to support and recognize the sacrifices and bravery of more than 250,000 Filipino troops who joined American forces in World War II," and the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act, which "extends federal recognition to Native Hawaiians, creating a relationship similar to that established with native American tribes and Alaskan natives."

One of our staunch supporters, Hawai'i born, Keith, sent a message of support from celebrated and award-winning writers Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and Maxine Hong Kingston. Jeanne is co-author, along with her husband James, of Farewell to Manzanar, the true story of her family's experience during and after the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Maxine, the author of many books, most notably The Woman Warrior, which won the National Book Critics' Circle Award, and China Men, which won the National Book Award. The daughter of Chinese immigrants, she is the recipient of a National Humanities Medal and has been named a "Living Treasure of Hawai'i."

"I trust Barack Obama, who was raised in Indonesia and Hawai'i, to have in his heart the values that Asian American and Pacific Islander people hold dear - family, beautiful community, aloha," wrote Maxine. "I can entrust my country and the world to a President willing to talk peacefully with all nations. Barack Obama, a global American, for President."

Share your stories!

Excitement in the air

Konrad Ng — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 03:46:49 EST

Wow! It’s been an exhilarating few days and the next few weeks look no different. Today, voters in Louisiana, Nebraska and Washington will have their chance to go to polling places and caucus sites to stand for change. On Feb. 10, voters in Maine will have their chance and on Feb. 12, Virginia, Maryland and DC will have their opportunity. If you are a resident in any of these states or know residents in those states, please help get out the vote or caucus.

We remain excited by the results of the showdown that was Feb. 5. From the beginning, our path to the nomination was about winning a sequential process and modeling a new kind of politics – a brand that reminds the American people that the gulf between the world as it is and as it should be can be overcome. With your help, the Obama campaign has accomplished what cynics and the Washington establishment thought was impossible. We began with a call to change our politics, knowing that “business as usual” was not enough. We started with modest resources and recognition. We relied on small donations from everyday American people. We built a national campaign from the ground-up, riding on the perseverance of a diverse coalition of staff and volunteers to energize Democrats, win in so-called Red States and attract Independents. We responded to criticism with steady principles and an open invitation to solve the issues together.

Indeed, we are excited – fired up and ready to go - with much work left to do. We need help with spreading Barack's message with clarity. We need help to get out the vote. We need help to get out the caucus. Together, everyday people can do extraordinary things

We are updating the blog as much as time allows. Here is a recent endorsement and testimony to share with you.

Little India, the largest circulated Indian publication in the United States, as well as the largest circulated overseas Indian publication in the world, has endorsed Barack for President! Here is their endorsement:

Thu Feb 07, 2008
Obama for President
There is something magical and transcendental in this moment about Sen. Barack Obama both for the country and the Indian American community.
Little India has decided to break from its tradition of staying out of the primary selections by endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic Party nomination for president. We take this unusual step as we have come to share his inspiring message and his call for the “fierce urgency of now.”
We value the Clintons' long association with the Indian American community and with India, so the decision to endorse her opponent has not been easy. But there is something magical and transcendental in this moment about Sen. Obama both for the country and the Indian American community.
His life story is in so many ways ours. In his political pursuits, he has defied both traditional paths pursued by minority politicians: identity politics built on narrow affiliations, typical of most ethnic leaders, as well as that of right wing politicians (like our own Bobby Jindal in Louisiana) who run from their history and identity. Obama, by contrast, has transcended boundaries. The Obama phenomenon, even if it does not get him the ultimate prize, offers something unique and it is important that we embrace this moment, for, as the Nobel Prize writer Toni Morrison wrote in her endorsement of Obama, “this is one of those singular moments that nations ignore at their peril.”
We reject the proposition that Sen. Hillary Clinton's experience trumps the promise that Obama has to offer. As Sen. Obama has retorted: “One of my opponents says a vote for me would be a gamble. But the real gamble would be to do the same old things with the same old people over and over again and hope that the next time the results will somehow be different.”
In the wake of the disastrous Bush presidency, Democrats are wistful about the Clinton era. In actual fact, the Clinton presidency was a period of political gridlock and public venom. Besides, Sen. Clinton already had an opportunity to shape public policy during Pres. Bill Clinton's term. We are likely to see a return of the stalemate and the tiresome and virulent conflicts of the 1990s if Clinton were the Democratic nominee. Indeed, the Clintons' subtle race-baiting tactics during the South Carolina primaries offer a preview of their divisive and ultimately futile scorched earth politics. Their reprehensible, win-at-all-costs, racially-laced attacks against Sen. Obama, even at the price of undermining their personal and historic commitments to racial justice, proved a tipping point for us, as they did for many other progressives in this country.
A Clinton supporter, Gloria Steinem, dubiously asserted that the gender barrier in politics is higher than the racial one, wondering: “Why is the sex barrier not taken as seriously as the racial one?”
But Sen. Clinton fails even by that measure, because her candidacy only underscores the painful stereotype that women's advancement begins at the altar. As Kerry Howley has tellingly pointed out, the first three women to serve in the Senate succeeded their husbands; six of the first 14 women elected to Congress were widows of incumbents and three others were daughters. Even Steinem would acknowledge that the gender barrier is better broken by a woman who wasn't riding her husband's coattails.
Sen. Obama, the son of an immigrant, offers an exciting opportunity to take Americans, men and women, of all races and affiliations, to an exciting new place and time. As Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., so eloquently said in his endorsement: “In Barack Obama, I see not just the audacity, but the possibility of hope for the America that is yet to be."

And compelling testimony from Janet Yang, a member of our Asian American Pacific Islander Leadership Council.

Holding Barack Obama's Hand
I am exhausted and bleary-eyed from too many nights with too little sleep. My mind can’t stop racing and my heartbeat is unusually quickened. I speak to many who are in a similar state. Am I in love? Have I caught a fever?
Actually yes on both fronts, and the culprit of this heightened state of existence is a married man whom I have met only a handful of times. Once, I got to kiss him on the cheek. He is having an effect on so many people like me for a reason -- because for the first time in our lives we care DESPERATELY that he become the next President of the United States of America. His name is Barack Obama and we are convinced, that whatever the outcome of the election, he is already making history.
I ask myself why this man? What are the qualities he embodies that have created a veritable national movement? I try to look at this moment in time with objectivity, and I see two revolutions taking place simultaneously. One is the technological revolution. It is the one that’s changed my life because I no longer have to worry about returning phone calls within the proscribed hours of a business day. I can instantaneously and effortlessly talk to people all over the world- and if I don’t get to them when I need to, I have only myself to blame. It is the revolution that allows us to find the right mate, apartment, object, factoid, to near perfection. It allows us to find and create a community of like-minded people, even if those members are not in close proximity. In short, we never have to feel alone. As a filmmaker, it is liberating, and frightening, to know that our work can perhaps find its audience through the age-old tradition of word-of-mouth, now infinitely more amplified, rather than living or dying by the pre-judgments and purse strings of an elite establishment. Great things can come of this.
This revolution has given the individual the tools for unlimited empowerment -- to flourish, express, seek, beckon -- in an uncompromised way.
The second revolution is the spiritual revolution. This revolution has been quietly taking place for decades. It is evidenced by the books that make it to NY Times bestseller lists. Although often termed “new age,” this revolution is fueled by notions taken from ancient and Eastern religions and medicine. It recognizes what scientists today now say is provable -- that we are comprised not so much of matter as energy. Our very beliefs can affect the real world around us. We are all interrelated in this swirl of energy that we call the universe. What one person does affects another.
These two revolutions have something in common - they are truly grass-roots by nature. They are not being dictated from above by government or any institution. Rather, the traditional institutions have some trepidation about their uncontrolled nature and must try hard to stay abreast of their emerging trends. In these revolutions, each person counts. Each person is a hit on a site, or someone newly empowered. Less important are the boxes we check in regard to race, economic status, geography. Those boxes do not represent us satisfactorily; do not have the complexity and nuance of our own pictures and words. In my opinion, the two movements together can bring about something akin to our liberation as a human race. By this I mean we can strive to become our most fully realized, individualized selves, in all our authenticity, and still recognize that we are irrefutably in this together as one. I have spent too many precious, formative years trying to fit into the types cranked out by statistical analysis or lifestyles projected from TV shows, believing as I did that there was a “they” out there who had all the answers. I now have a soaring hope that we can create a world that truly represents who we are and the confidence to know that if I feel something deeply, there is a very good chance that so do many others.
Barack Obama is so popular, especially amongst youth, because he has an innate understanding of this phenomenon He recognizes that our separation will be our downfall, that we can no longer afford to compartmentalize our demographics or ignore what’s going on on the other side of town or the world. Artists must talk to scientists; young must talk to old; Muslims must talk to Christians; laborers must talk to CEOs, if we are to survive. For the first time ever, we have the tools for reaching virtually everyone. And we have no excuse not to.
We have been living at least this past century overly enamored with the notions of categorization, specialization, division of labor, delineation of race, differences of age, differentiation of gender We have lost our humanity, and even an innate sense of logic, in the process.
More and more, young people especially don’t want to be categorized. They seem to recognize that society should not be dominated by any one group of people. They are better informed, more self-aware and more worldly than we were at their age. I tell my nine-year old that he will be better equipped to solve the problems of the world than I am. These are new problems that we have never faced before - how could anyone trust someone like me, who was foolhardy enough to slather baby oil on my body to further attract the sun’s rays, to handle global warming?
I am glad Barack Obama is relatively young. He is, for the record, barely younger than Bill Clinton or JFK when they assumed office. But his refreshingly unencumbered life in politics is a tremendous asset for me. How else can someone be clear-thinking and bring fresh ideas to the mix? How else can you see through the glass we’ve made murky and clouded to see it still, half-full?
Barack Obama is a person first, and a politician second. In this coming era, it is so important that we look at who are, and not just what we do. He has the substance of character and that unseen power the Chinese call “qi” that serve him well beyond the political arena. He is an authentic human being with an unneat personal history - like so many of us. He has taken his God-given attributes and made the most of them. He has courageously embraced his soul’s journey and found his calling in life. He has tapped into the zeitgeist of what undeniably already is. Barack Obama is the one whose hand I want to hold when marching into the uncertain future.
Janet Yang is a film producer of such works as THE JOY LUCK CLUB, THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT, ZERO EFFECT, HIGH CRIMES, and the soon to be released DARK MATTER, with Meryl Streep and Chinese star Liu Ye.

State of Hawai'i Caucus Locations

Konrad Ng — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:08:35 EST

Oahu Caucus Locations

Big Island Caucus Locations

Maui, Lanai, and Molokai Caucus Location

See all the caucus locations across the state on Google Maps.

Remember: To participate in the Hawai'i caucus you will need to be registered to vote, and a member of the Democratic party of Hawai'i. If you are not registered or are not a party member, you can register to vote and join the party at the caucus location, but please plan to arrive early. While the caucus process can be a little chaotic, the district organizers can help you through the process. We will have Obama supporters at each caucus location to help answer your questions as well.

Want to caucus? Click on the following link: Get Out The Caucus in Hawai'i

Super Tuesday and the Hawai'i Democratic Caucus

Konrad Ng — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 02:41:00 EST

On Super Tuesday, over 150 Obama supporters gathered at Ryan’s Grill in Honolulu to watch the returns – and what a night! According to the latest news reports, Obama won at least 13 of the 22 states contested with New Mexico still undeclared. But, the race remains close and highly competitive – especially in Hawai‘i.

We have much work to do as we approach the Hawai‘i Democratic Caucus on Feb. 19. Hawai‘i has 29 Delegates at stake on Feb. 19. To put this number into perspective, Hawai‘i has more delegates than the Feb. 5 states of Alaska (18), North Dakota (21), Delaware (23) and Idaho (23). Our state has the same number of delegates as Utah (29).

In short, Hawaii's voice matters.

The Hawai‘i Democratic Caucuses will be held on Tue. Feb. 19 at 7:00 PM at locations around the state. To support Obama for president, you will need to show up at the correct location before 7:00 PM. To participate in the Hawai‘i caucus you will need to be registered to vote, and a member of the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i. If you are not registered or are not a party member, you can register to vote and join the party at the caucus location, but please plan to arrive early. While the caucus process can be a little chaotic, the district organizers can help you through the process. We will have Obama supporters at each caucus location to help answer your questions as well.

On Sat. Feb. 9 at 12:00 PM, we will be holding a ‘Mock Caucus’ at the Obama Honolulu HQ (707 Richard Street, PH1). For more information about the 'Mock Caucus', click on this link.

Want to learn more about the caucus process? Please click on this link.

Yes, we can.

More Major Endorsements and the Asian American Supporter Toolkit

Konrad Ng — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 02:57:22 EST

More senior Democrats endorse Obama!!! Washington State Rep. Bob Hasegawa and Hon. Norman Mineta and Hon. Don Edwards from California.

Joint statement by Hon. Mineta and Hon. Edwards:
Each of us, not quite a half century ago, chose to enter the political arena and the world of public service in San Jose, California. We were prompted to do that in no small measure by a President who challenged us to "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country" We were inspired by John F. Kennedy's eloquence, but we were motivated by his example, as well----his youth, his vibrancy, his determination, his optimism, and his commitment to the principle that we all have a responsibility to make a positive difference in the lives of others.
Once again we can sense the promise and the power of possibility---the very qualities that typify Silicon Valley and its residents---that have been generated by another visionary, courageous, and dynamic leader, a person who we believe will be, and most certainly should be, the next President of the United States of America, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.
Barack Obama is a remarkable person with a remarkable life's story. The son of a student from Kenya and a young woman from Kansas….a man whose youth was spent living and learning in the rich culture of Indonesia and the magnificent diversity of Hawaii…. who then studied and excelled as an undergraduate at Columbia University and at Harvard Law School….a man who, rather than accepting a lucrative position in some high powered and privileged corporate law firm, instead chose to become a community organizer in the toughest neighborhoods and on the grittiest streets of Chicago....a man who was elected to the Illinois state legislature and then to the U.S. Senate and who, in both bodies, quickly earned a reputation as a smart, effective, and respected legislator and leader.
Now Barack Obama is not only running for President of the United States, he is changing the way American political campaigns are conducted. He is showing that our leaders can once again be viewed with respect and admiration. Perhaps most importantly, he is inspiring a whole new generation of Americans to become engaged in the civic life of our country.
Barack Obama is sending a clear and unmistakable message to people of all generations---to people of all colors, of all faiths, of all partisan persuasions, of all life styles --- that America's problems and challenges belong to all of us, that opportunities are and must be universal, and that hope, optimism, determination, responsibility and sacrifice should be shared qualities and characteristics.
Four decades ago, another young Senator challenged us to greatness by demanding that we face up to our responsibilities to make this world a better place---to fight for justice at home and abroad, to work for peace, to overcome the ravages of poverty and disease. As Robert Kennedy said then, "All of us might wish at times that we lived in a more tranquil world, but we don't. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenging and filled with opportunity"
The same could be said today. It is a time when we need to, and can, call upon the better angels of our spirit, when we can end the politics of division and false choices. It is a time when we can elect a national leader who is determined that each of us can make a difference, and whose own life and career testify to the truth of that determination. We can elect a President who believes in us as much as we want to believe in him. We can, in short, elect a President who makes us proud to be Americans. And that is why we are supporting Senator Barack Obama in his quest to become the next President of the United States of America.
Additional statement by Norm Mineta:
My parents came to this country because they knew that it was a place where individuals could pursue their own dreams and chart their own future. And like Barack Obama, I grew up in a home where we were taught that we have an obligation to leave the world a better place for our children and grandchildren, and for the eternity of future generations.
I have been given the rare privilege of serving my community and country as an elected official and as a Cabinet member for two Presidents---one from each party. When appointed Commerce Secretary by President Bill Clinton, I became the first American of Asian ancestry to ever serve in the Cabinet of any President, and I will be forever grateful for the confidence he placed in me, and for the respect he showed our community. I have the highest regard for the former President and First Lady, Senator Hillary Clinton; I applaud their outstanding and continuing service to our country.
Yet, we are beginning a new chapter in American history, and I am convinced that Barack Obama is the best person to write it, that he can both change and unite America. That is why I am supporting Barack Obama to be President of the United States of America.

Plus, Asian Americans for Obama, a grassroots advocacy organization, has Asian language translations of Barack's positions on issues relating to Asian Americans. Please visit this link.

Here in Hawai'i, notable endorsers include: Actress Kelly Hu, Television personality/journalist Emme Tomingbang, City Councilmember Ann Kobayashi, Community Activist Amy Agbayani, State Rep. Della Au Belatti, State Rep. Jon Karamatsu, State Sen. Russell Kokubun, State Sen. Clarence Nishihara, State Rep. Scott Saiki, Film Producer Chris Lee and actors, Daniel Dae Kim and Cary Tagawa.

'Twas the night before...

Konrad Ng — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:04:22 EST

...and we're "Fired Up! Ready to Go!"

A Lunar New Year message from Barack:

February 1, 2008
Dear Friends,
In a few days, many of you will start celebrating the Lunar New Year. On behalf of Michelle and my two daughters, I want to offer my best wishes to you for a happy and prosperous Lunar New Year.
The Lunar New Year has always been a special holiday to me. As you may know, I have had the privilege of being part of the Asian American community throughout my life. I grew up in the unique Asian American and Pacific Islander culture of Hawaii, and I also spent several of my formative years in Asia, which gave me great insight into – and a great appreciation of – Asian cultures and peoples. These experiences also allowed me to develop lifelong bonds with relatives, classmates, and friends of Asian descent/ancestry. So I am proud to say that I am one of you, and it is my great honor to celebrate; the Lunar New Year with you.
This year will be an exciting and historic year for all of us. As I campaign across the country, I am frequently reminded of the tremendous contributions and aspirations of our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. From early Asian immigrants who built the Transcontinental Railroad to Silicon Valley Internet-age entrepreneurs, from neighborhood restaurateurs to Nobel Prize-winning scientists, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have played a significant role in building our great nation. I am inspired by how traditional Asian values of education, family, and hard work continually strengthen the social, economic, and cultural fabric of America. Together, we will help write the next chapter of the great American story.
In 2008, we have a unique opportunity to transform our nation and change this world, by rekindling the American spirit and ideals. Regardless of our backgrounds, our parties, or our race, we must come together as Americans to restore and revive our nation’s global leadership and moral standing in the world; we must come together with other countries and peoples to build a solid foundation for peace and security in the 21st century. In this same spirit, we must come together to provide the basic rights of health care, quality education, and good jobs to all Americans, secure our borders and fundamentally reform our broken immigration system, and end the cynical and divisive politics in Washington.
So on the eve of this New Year and this new era, with you as my inspiration, I pledge to work closely with you and with all Americans. Together, we shall overcome. Together, as one nation, we will restore and realize our shared American dream and our common destiny.
Yours sincerely,
Barack Obama

Here is a letter that Maya and I wrote for the 50-plus Obama Asian American Get Out The Vote house parties held in California last Saturday:

February 2, 2008
Dear friends,
When Barack first considered running for the Presidency last December, he did not begin with the question of whether or not he would win. Rather, he and Michelle wondered if his candidacy could make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. They decided that the quest for the Presidency would only be truly worthwhile if the campaign could inspire the American public to reach higher and demand more. They wanted to craft a message that would help us all transcend divisiveness and remove obstacles to progress, so that we might find clearer paths to address the many national and international problems requiring our urgent attention. We believe that he has been able to accomplish all of this. People now recognize what we, as family, have known all along – Barack’s work as an activist, community organizer, constitutional law professor and legislator has given him the character, judgment and experience needed at this moment in our nation’s history.
This campaign has moved us We have witnessed a truly grassroots movement threading through every corner of our nation and beyond. People of every age, class, ethnicity, profession and gender have volunteered their time, skills, and energy, and have felt buoyed by the powerful experience of shared hopes and common ground. Barack motivates us to become better versions of ourselves. He has eliminated ‘inevitables’ in campaigning and government. He has helped individuals and communities to elevate their standards of personal responsibility through a combination of tough-mindedness and compassion. He has strengthened people’s convictions about their own capacities to effect change. Barack has reminded us all that we are more spacious than we knew. The broadness of his reach reflects the real complexity in people's lives; Barack inspires the very best in the American people.
We want to close this note by acknowledging the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have been working tirelessly in support of his campaign. We are impressed by your commitment to making this country a better place. As members of the AAPI community, we want you to know that the AAPI perspective is important to Barack. His experiences in Indonesia and Hawai‘i have given him a deep respect for, and understanding of, our community’s history, diversity and concerns. We have met so many Asian Pacific Americans from all walks of life, young and old, and we are truly inspired by the strength of judgment and conviction evidenced in so many parts of the AAPI community.
Let's get out the vote and be heard.
Happy New Year.
Maya Soetoro-Ng and Konrad Ng

More Obama endorsements from elected officials of Asian descent:

State Senator Leland Yee, D-San Francisco

Mayor Jun Choi of Edison, New Jersey

Boston City Councilor Sam Yoon

San Francisco School Board member Jane Kim

Earlier videos featuring Kal Penn and Maya here and here

In case you missed it, an earlier article about Maya from Vibe

As we look beyond February 5th, some good news from Hawai‘i – Obama leads all candidates in fundraising.

Honolulu Star-Bulletin: "Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has brought in $411,253 from Hawaii residents, more than all other presidential candidates combined, according to Federal Election Commission filings."

Honolulu Advertiser:: "Sen. Barack Obama has raised $411,253 from Hawai'i residents in his race for the presidential nomination, almost seven times as much as his nearest rival."

The Hawaii caucus date is February 19, 2008. For Hawai'i updates, please visit the Obama Hawaii state page