Obama, Clinton Woo American Indian Voters
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Matthew Brown and Mary Clare Jalonick, AP, June 2, 2008
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The newly named Awe Kooda Bilaxpak Kuuxshish—better known as Barack Obama—faced east, the symbolic source of new life. His adopted Crow father, Hartford Black Eagle, prayed over him.
Afterward, they walked arm-in-arm with Black Eagle’s wife, Mary, to a podium, where Obama promised to live up to the meaning of his new name: “One Who Helps People Throughout the Land.”
“I want you to know that I will never forget you,” Obama told the crowd, who had not seen a visitor of such political importance since Lady Bird Johnson came to the Montana reservation in the 1960s. “You will be on my mind every day that I am in the White House.”
In a tight Democratic race, American Indians living in poor conditions on isolated prairie reservations could have a pivotal voice in the selection of a presidential candidate. As a result, they’re hearing a lot of promises from politicians: better health care, improved housing and stepped-up law enforcement in Indian country.
Their votes could be decisive in the last two Democratic primaries, the June 3 votes in Montana and South Dakota, that Obama would very much like to win to bring him closer to the Democratic nomination. He and Hillary Rodham Clinton, who’d like victories just as much, are wooing the oft-ignored Indian vote—which is small, but big enough to matter this year.
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Reservations, especially the poor, remote tribal areas in the High Plains, have rarely been campaign stops in recent years.
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Almost 9 percent of South Dakota’s roughly 800,000 residents are American Indian—the third highest population in the country. Around 6 percent of Montana’s slightly larger population are American Indian. Those voters are traditionally Democratic, though Republicans have worked hard to woo them in recent elections.
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The Republicans’ likely nominee, John McCain, a former Senate Indian Affairs Committee chairman, is bidding for their votes too. He met with tribal leaders last week, promising, like Clinton and Obama, to create a new White House position to oversee Indian affairs.
“We don’t rely on promises so much as we do their ability to understand our issues,” said Robert Moore, an elected official in South Dakota’s Rosebud Sioux Tribe and volunteer organizer for Obama.
No matter who wins, say leaders, American Indians expect more attention from the next administration.
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(Posted on June 3, 2008)
Comments
I respect the American Indian. Obama is a racist black wannabe. He suppored the racist Wright who supported the racist Farrakhan. Farrakhan is a Mugabe type man and has millions of black racist followers. If this were not so, then how come he is on TV all the time. Many racist blacks are paying his TV bills. Farrakhan supported raping American Indians again and again by stealing their land. Yes, he wants the American South as a homeland for africans. Go back to Africa Farrakhan!
Posted by Elrey Jones at 10:25 PM on June 3
I don’t care about Indians. They are the biggest losers in history, even so much more than blacks;they lost a war and won’t admit it. Indians are equally as primitive as African blacks, so why do so many show them preference? They try to convince school text book publishers to include their literature, which is ridiculous, since they had no written language. Their modern literature is nothing but a bunch of complaining of how their land was stolen from them when they were so virtuous and caring of the White man. If they had guns, they would have destroyed Whites. SOCIAL DARWINISM, my friends. The world has always been dominated by someone, and anybody who is smart or resourceful enough deserves to dominate. Heap big poo-poo!
Posted by Ethel Canby at 11:34 PM on June 3
The American Indians, like many other nations around the world already know that no matter who is in office at any given time, the U.S. government has a dismal record of bailing out on any treaties we make with any nation. Our country makes treaties and promises of convenience with anyone, including the U.S. citizens, and quits them as congress and senate sees fit for congress and senate members.
Posted by Skip at 12:18 AM on June 4
“SOCIAL DARWINISM, my friends. The world has always been dominated by someone, and anybody who is smart or resourceful enough deserves to dominate. Heap big poo-poo” by Ehtel
This is the kind of stuff surly looking Pakistanis and Indians write about White Britons in the UK. White Britons in place of Native Americans that is
Posted by at 2:19 AM on June 4
Ethel Canby,
Sorry but I’ve got to disagree with you on this. I’ve worked with Indian guys for years and they’re some of the best men I’ve come across anywhere. I’m not saying they’re all that way but for the most part they’re stand up guys.
Skip,
I wish they’d quit NAFTA. Not much chance of that though unless their going to replace it with something worse for us.
Tom Iron…
Posted by Tom Iron at 9:37 AM on June 4
“I want you to know I’ll never forget you”. Turning to his entourage, “Who were those people anyway”? It never ceases to amaze me the that so many brave men gave their lives to create this country, and so many are now seemingly ashamed of their great accomplishments. Unbelievaby even some of those on AMREN. I for one am proud as hell of the white European settlers who suffered and won this great country with their sweat and blood. Are we to feel sorry for every enemy we have or have not yet overcome? I think not, as the great Patrick Henry said,” GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH”. Freedom is not free.
Posted by a true patriot at 11:27 PM on June 4
I respect the American Indian. I do not respect Obama, Hillary, McCain, etc…
Pat Buchanan I respect. Lou Dobbs I respect.
Posted by Unemployed WASP at 1:41 AM on June 5
It is hard for me to imagine Obama having much support among the American Indians. Most AI’s from the Plains Tribes I have known absolutely loathe blacks and do not even consider them as human. All I can say is that Black Eagle must have gotten alot of $ to even associate with Obama. Also many AI’s feel that blacks are robbing them of government assistance programs which end up being diverted to the black community.
Posted by at 11:39 AM on June 5
American Indians, in recent years, have won respect, and deservedly so, as they are impeccable warriors, contrary to what some on this thread preceive. Unlike the Mexicans, they assimilated into the greater Anglo culture quicker, especially groups like the Cherokee, the Choctaw, the Creeks, and the so-called “Five Civilized Tribes” where incredibly knowledgeable and cultured. The Cherokee had more derision for their Creek and Choctaw enemies than their Scots-Irish neighbors. They also called themselves Kitawhua, meaning “Principled People” or the “Chosen People,” much like the Sephardic Jews.
Posted by David Verbryke at 1:05 PM on June 6
Africans are killing and raping Indians in this country. Mexicans are Indians and the africans are killing and raping them everywhere. Will Obama march with the Indians against the african onslaught? Also, Farrakhan wanted to make the South an african homeland. Steal the land from the Indian is what Farrakhan wants - just like all the land in the Carribean that the africans stole. They were slaves you say? Africans sold them into slavery and the africans who were freed never had any intention of going back to africa. Beware of the racist africans. I’m like Paul Revere - I can only warn the people. I just pray you all listen.
Posted by Elrey Jones at 1:22 AM on June 8