[ POLITICS: Resources for 2008 Presidential Race ]
With the Iowa caucus victories of the Obama and Huckabee campaigns, we are moving into a crucial month that will go a long way toward deciding the nominees for the Democratic and Republican parties. SAJAforum will be closely following the desi angles in the races in the weeks and months ahead. You can see all our coverage in one place, along with other resources for covering the campaigns.
A few minutes ago, SAJAforum received a press release from SAFO - South Asians for Obama - highlighting the role of desis in Iowa caucus. The release begins:
South Asian American volunteers played an active and important role in canvassing and get-out-the-vote efforts that led to Senator Barack Obama's (D-IL) decisive and historic victory in last night's Democratic presidential caucus in Iowa. The record turnout of over 230,000 people in the Democratic caucus included many first-time caucus-goers from the South Asian American community.
"SAFO has been hosting monthly phone banking nights since August, calling South Asian Americans in Iowa to encourage them to participate in the caucuses," said Priya Bhatia, a SAFO co-founder. "Our goal was to have real conversations with Iowans to explain why we support Senator Obama – and why we hoped they would, too." In the closing weeks of the campaign in Iowa, South Asian American volunteers – including Asim Mishra and Palak Shah – braved the cold weather in Iowa to ensure that Obama's rising poll numbers translated into actual participation in the caucuses. Preeta Bansal, former Solicitor General of New York State and currently a partner at a major New York City law firm, also offered her personal testimonials on behalf of Obama to families and community groups in Iowa. And South Asian American actor Kal Penn made multiple appearances in Iowa throughout December to speak in support of Senator Obama.
The full press release, press contacts and more are below. Please post your comments below.
PLEASE NOTE: SAJAforum is regularly sent press releases and other info by South Asian supporters of the Clinton and Obama campaigns. We have never heard from any of the other campaigns - Democratic or Republican. If you know folks who support these campaigns, please have them e-mail saja[at]columbia.edu
Contact: Hrishi Karthikeyan
Cell Phone: 646.498.7731
Email: hrishi1[at]gmail.comSOUTH ASIANS BUILD EARLY SUPPORT FOR OBAMA
South Asian Volunteers Promote Participation in Iowa Caucuses
and Other State PrimariesWASHINGTON, DC, January 4, 2008 – South Asian American volunteers played an active and important role in canvassing and get-out-the-vote efforts that led to Senator Barack Obama's (D-IL) decisive and historic victory in last night's Democratic presidential caucus in Iowa. The record turnout of over 230,000 people in the Democratic caucus included many first-time caucus-goers from the South Asian American community.
"SAFO has been hosting monthly phone banking nights since August, calling South Asian Americans in Iowa to encourage them to participate in the caucuses," said Priya Bhatia, a SAFO co-founder. "Our goal was to have real conversations with Iowans to explain why we support Senator Obama – and why we hoped they would, too." In the closing weeks of the campaign in Iowa, South Asian American volunteers – including Asim Mishra and Palak Shah – braved the cold weather in Iowa to ensure that Obama's rising poll numbers translated into actual participation in the caucuses. Preeta Bansal, former Solicitor General of New York State and currently a partner at a major New York City law firm, also offered her personal testimonials on behalf of Obama to families and community groups in Iowa. And South Asian American actor Kal Penn made multiple appearances in Iowa throughout December to speak in support of Senator Obama.
These efforts were complemented by the tireless efforts of South Asian Americans on Senator Obama's campaign staff, including Rohan Patel and Madhuri Kommareddi, who helped coordinate and mobilize an unprecedented get-out-the-vote effort across the entire state. More broadly, South Asian political participation was bolstered by the efforts of Rita Arora, Eastern Chapter Vice President of the Iowa Asian Alliance, a non-partisan community-based organization, who facilitated caucus training sessions to educate the community about the often-confusing caucus process.
"On January 3, 2008, Iowa gave America hope for the New Year by placing its trust and confidence in Senator Obama to lead this country," said Ann Lata Kalayil, co-chair of Obama's AAPI National Leadership Council. "Many South Asian Americans around the country are proud to be part of this movement, as we did phone banking, political education, and get-out-the-vote activities."
The effort has not stopped in Iowa . "Although last night's victory is a significant accomplishment, we still have much more work to do in our effort to mobilize the South Asian American community in this campaign," noted SAFO co-founder Hrishi Karthikeyan. SAFO is organizing and participating in get-out-the-vote efforts in New Hampshire and in other states leading up to the Super Tuesday primaries being held on February 5 th. Even before the caucuses began last night, volunteers such as Theresa Thanjan were on the ground in Nashua, New Hampshire, where they will spend the weekend working with the campaign field office to help Senator Obama succeed in next Tuesday's first-in-the-nation primary contest in that state. Similar organizing efforts are underway in other states, and interested volunteers will be kept informed and up-to-date through SAFO's website ( www.safo2008.com) and email newsletter.
SAFO co-founder Dave Kumar, who is planning a trip to South Carolina for the Jan. 26 primary in that state, said: "Unprecedented numbers of first-time caucus goers supported Senator Obama in Iowa , demonstrating the impact that even those who typically feel left out of the political process can make on selecting our next President. We hope that more people will volunteer to help Senator Obama's campaign and show the continued importance of the South Asian community to the political process."
Subodh Chandra, former Director of Law for the City of Cleveland and former Democratic candidate for Ohio Attorney General, observed, "Many South Asian Americans tend to support incumbents or perceived incumbents without looking more deeply at the question of whose life experience best represents our own hope and aspirations. I hope successful South Asian American efforts to help Senator Obama win Iowa and other early states will help our community overcome that inertia – because Senator Obama, unlike any other candidate, is basically one of us." Bansal noted, "Senator Obama stands for and represents the best of what America is and can be. The results in Iowa validate what middle America understands and what South Asian Americans across the country increasingly are realizing: that as we try to work to clean up America's image and policy toward the world and its policies at home, we can have no better leader than Senator Obama, a self-made man who understands that we must lead by the example of our ideals and our actions. Being in Iowa this past week was a vivid reminder of all that's great about this unique and great country." Added Kalayil, "Our network of Obama supporters is fired up and ready to go!"
About SAFO
South Asians for Obama (SAFO) is a grassroots movement to mobilize the South Asian community in America to support Barack Obama for President of the United States in 2008. For more information, visit www.safo2008.com.For further information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please contact Hrishi Karthikeyan at (646) 498-7731 or at hrishi1[at]gmail.com.
Earlier on SAJAforum:
- Iowa - Obama's South Asian support
- The Candidates react to the Bhutto assassination news
- Bollywood Obama
- Obama's Unusual Pakistan Plan
- Hillary takes in $2 million at Indian-American fundraiser
- Hillary courts the Indian vote, and purse
- Obama Apologizes for Campaign "Screw-up"
- Obama Digs In, Plays Outsourcing Card
- Desi Supporters of Obama and Clinton
- Resources for 2008 presidential race
