[See SAJAforum posts, sources and resources on the 2008 presidential race]
After doing a post filled with desi spotting about the Democratic National Convention last week, we turn our attention to the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Some items:
* Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was slated to give the keynote address on Day 3, the same kind of slot that, in 2004, helped bring a Senate-candidate Barack Obama to the world's attention. Thanks to Hurricane Gustav (read our coverage of his big test), he decided to stay at home and gave up the spotlight this year. We are left to just guess what kind of bounce he might have gotten had he been able to make that speech. From an article by K.P. Nayar of the Kokalta Telegraph:
[Jindal] was to have made history here this week by addressing the Republican National Convention on its third day during prime time. No one of Indian descent has ever addressed a national convention of any American political party.
[Update from Democratic strategist Toby Chaudhuri: "Please be advised that State Rep. Swati Dandekar, D-Iowa, spoke at the Democratic Convention in 2004 and DNC Rule Committee Co-Chair Sunita Leeds spoke at the Democratic Convention this year, so Indian Americans have a long history of addressing major party political conventions. Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., would've been the first Indian American to speak at the Republican Convention, but his schedule change means that to date, no Indian American has ever addressed the GOP crowd. Bridget McCain remains the only South Asian American to be introduced at the Republican Convention."
From Manu Raju in The Hill newspaper:
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s performance during Hurricane Gustav has increased his stock for a future bid for the Republican presidential nomination, party activists said here Tuesday.
Jindal benefited from days of national media coverage showing him directing a successful mass evacuation from New Orleans, a stark contrast from the bungled response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
His performance in the crisis was noted 1,000 miles away at the GOP convention, which at one point was thought to feature the 37-year-old wunderkind as Sen. John McCain’s running mate.
* Next, an item about the first South Asian to ever be introduced prominently at a U.S. political convention: Bridget McCain, the daughter Cindy and John McCain adopted from Bangladesh.
ABC's Jake Tapper explains the backstory:
Sen. John McCain's former aide Wes Gullett just spoke at the Republican convention, telling the story about how Cindy McCain, visiting one of Mother Theresa's orphanages on a trip abroad, brought home two Bangladeshi orphans. John and Cindy McCain adopted one of them, Wes Gullett and his wife Deborah adopted the other. It's a remarkable story, one that probably doesn't get told enough.
Cindy was standing in amazement visiting 160 abandoned newborn baby girls at Mother Teresa's orphanage in Dhaka, Bangladesh when nuns handed her one with a cleft palate so severe she couldn't even be fed. As Newsweek reported, Cindy became worried that the baby, and another one with a heart defect, would die without medical attention so she applied for medical visas to take them back to the U.S., though the country's minister of health refused to sign the papers.
Reported Newsweek's Holly Bailey: "'We can do surgery on this child,' an official told her.
"Cindy, frustrated, slammed her fist on the table. 'Then do it! What are you waiting for?' The official, stunned, simply signed the papers.
"'I don't know where I got the nerve,' Cindy said.
"When she arrived in Phoenix, she carried the baby with the cleft palate off the plane.
"Her husband met her at the airport. He looked at the baby. 'Where is she going,' he asked her. "'To our house,' she replied."
The McCains adopted the baby with the cleft palate, Bridget, and the Gulletts adopted the other one, Nicki. Both children required a lot of medical attention, but the Gulletts never saw a hospital bill.
More recent items about Bridget (who was the subject of a smear campaign by George Bush Republicans during the 2000 primary) in the Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, UK's Telegraph.
Here's video of Gullett's speech, during which his daughter, Nicki, stood by his side - and you can see Bridget, too:
* You can't talk about anything South Asian to do with John McCain without talking about one man, a former journalist, who's been with the McCain campaign through the lean times of last fall through today's heady times. That's Kishan Putta, founder of IndiansforMcCain.com, the person who was coordinating Asian American outreach for the campaign when all the attention was on Asian and South Asian groups supporting Obama and Hillary Clinton. (In fact, he first got to know McCain back in 2000, when McCain spoke at Putta's alma mater, Harvard's Kennedy School. As he tells it, "I got the chance to meet him when he landed at Logan and ride with him to campus. After his speech on campus, I signed on to volunteer in New Hampshire and then got hired.") He's good source for all things McCain and he's available to journos at kishanputta[at]gmail or 323-841-2861. Take a look at a note he sent out earlier in the week. Gives you a sense of how much the Republicans are courting South Asians.
Putta shared some thoughts with SAJAforum:
- "I was overcome with emotion remembering how hard we had worked in 2000 only to lose the tightly-fought primary. To see him this time prevail against the odds - and to be part of that - was really an incredible feeling. Mavericks and reformers rarely get their national party's nomination. This really is our chance to change American politics and I am proud to play a role. I hope more Indian-Americans will come to understand this (and can check www.IndiansForMcCain.com to learn more) and get involved."
- Piyush Agrawal, president of GOPIO, has been attending in place of his son Akhil Agrawal (both from Florida). They are both considered "Friends and Family" of John McCain for their high level of financial and political support (over $100,000 raised). Look for Piyush sitting almost directly behind Cindy McCain -- probably the most prominent seating for a desi at either convention.
- The Indian American Republican Council's reception Tuesday evening was very well attended with over 200 desis, congressional leaders, conservative leaders, and Jewish-American leaders. This was the best attended Indian reception in GOP Convention history and there was a high degree of energy amongst attendees. Congressmen Adam Putnam (FL, the 3rd ranking Republican in the House) and Joe Wilson (SC, past cochair of the Congressional India Caucus) gave enthusiastic support to the community and pledged the strong support of Republicans to supporting India and the US-India nuclear deal - which will come under the spotlight very shortly after the convention ends today. All gave their staunch endorsements to John McCain. Harmeet Dhillon (dhillon08.com), candidate for California Assembly spoke as well -- she is the first desi to win an Assembly primary race in CA -- she deserves our strong support.
* Gopal Khanna, the chief information officer of the state of Minnesota (former CFO of the Peace Corps and the White House) is a member of the cabinet of Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty. He has been involved with the Republican Party for many years and is, like the governor, a McCain supporter. I recall talking to Khanna last fall when McCain was down in the polls - he never wavered. Read more about Khanna, including his appearance on the cover of CIO magazine and his official bio (and Pawlenty's 2007 trip to India).
* And, finally, like he did in the Denver convention, Aasif Mandvi is part of the traveling circus that is the "Daily Show with Jon Stewart." Here's a screengrab of his apperance in skit commemorating the bathroom stall incident in which Senator Larry Craig was arrested in 2007.
* Kishan Putta's note about South Asian events connected to the RNC.
Hello from Minneapolis-Saint Paul! We would like to congratulate you all for coming to the Republican National Convention here in the Twin Cities!
There are several events of particular interest to Indian-Americans during the Convention and we hope you will be able to join us and show a united face of our community on the Republican side of public affairs in the United States - and to support John McCain for President!
We have compiled a tentative list of these events BELOW (to be posted on www.indiansformccain.com as well). We have also prepared a welcome packet for each of you which will include:
* Your own "Indians For McCain" bumper stickers!
* Key contact information if you need anything while here.
* Final details about the events BELOW and others.
* Maps and information on transport to these events.
* The four-day weather forecast.We'd like to distribute these packets to you on Monday afternoon if possible. There is a diplomatic reception in downtown Saint Paul which may include Indian Ambassador Ronen Sen. I suggest we aim to meet there at 4pm SHARP. Then we can meet, the packets can be distributed, and we can all take a shuttle together to the biggest event on Monday -- the Pan-Asian reception hosted by APIA Vote in downtown Minneapolis (10 minutes drive).
Unless otherwise noted, all events require RSVPs -- contact us at ifm@indiansformccain.com
Please also send us your name, mobile number, and place of accommodation (hotel, Minneapolis OR Saint Paul).
Lastly please feel free to forward this message to your friends and contacts nationwide.Truly,
Indians For McCain
ifm@indiansformccain.com
www.indiansformccain.com
cell. 323-841-2861
ps- FYI, for information about Indian-American viewpoints on the election and activities, see www.IndiansForMcCain.com
Tonight – Reception at Epic (110 North 5th st., Minneapolis) – 8pmMonday Sept. 1:
1a) 4-6pm: Diplomatic Reception (with Indian Abassador Ronen Sen and many other international diplomats) @ Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (Saint Paul: 408 Saint Peter Street - Hamm Building).1b) 5-8pm: Pan-Asian reception hosted by APIA Vote @ Brit's Pub (Minneapolis -- 1110 Nicollet Ave).
Tuesday Sept. 2:
2a) 8am: Indian-Jewish Relations Discussion @ Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra (Saint Paul: 408 Saint Peter Street - Hamm Building).** This event is not to be missed! Hosted by a major Jewish-American organization. It shows the Jewish-American community's sincere interest in outreach to the Indian-Americans. We must show them that we appreciate this outreach effort and show our interest as well by attending in force!!! We hope you will all attend this important discussion.
2b) 12pm: Reception hosted by Congressman Joe Wilson, former chair of Congressional India Caucus @ Murray's Restaurant (Minneapolis - 1400 Nicollet Ave)
*Please RSVP to: scattorney@hotmail.com2c) 3:30pm: Pan-Asian press avail amd photo-op with McCain campaign staff and community leaders @ Saint Paul Hotel (Saint Paul - 350 Market Street).
2d) 5pm: Indian-American Republican Council reception @ India House Restaurant (Minneapolis - 1400 Nicollet Ave)
*Please RSVP to: info@iarcnational.org (official invite is attached)
Wednesday Sept. 3:
Eleven a.m. rally with John McCain in downtown Minneapolis (Peavey Plaza).Thursday Sept. 4:
TBA:On Friday Sept. 5:
5a) 7:30am: Breakfast with Governor Tim Pawlenty and Eric Paulsen @ Minneapolis Club (Minneapolis - 729 Second Avenue South)*This event is a hot-ticket - a $250 fundraiser for Minnesota congressional candidate Eric Paulsen. Please RSVP.
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