|
|
|
|
|
GOLDSEA |
ASIAMS.NET |
ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
WILL GARY LOCKE BE THE FIRST AA PRESIDENT?
ary Locke can tick off almost every qualification for a successful presidential bid: third-generation Washingtonian whose father fought in Patton's tank corps; Eagle Scout; Yale grad; former prosecutor with a tough crimefighting record; popular two-term governor in a state with arguably the nation's most successful educational system and fiscal policies; a highly telegenic wife with impeccable credentials of her own.
Significantly, Gary Locke's 26-year political career unequivocally establishes him to be a republican in democrat's clothing. Political balancing acts of that order have become de rigueur for White House aspirants from both parties, as shown by recent elections. And he's only 51.
But one misstep may haunt Locke in any quest for higher office -- he was born to Asian parents.
Locke's ties to Washington state go back to a paternal grandfather who had immigrated to Olympia at the turn of the century and worked as a houseboy before returning to China to start a family. His father James returned to Washington and fought under General Patton. Gary was born January 21, 1950 in a Seattle veterans public housing project called Yesler Terrace.
Gary worked at his father's grocery store but earned the rank of Eagle Scout and graduated with honors from Franklin High in 1968. He worked his way through Yale, earning a poli sci degree in 1972. Three years later he got a J.D. from Boston University Law School and became a deputy prosecutor in King County.
His crimefighting record got him elected to the state house in 1982 where his star rose rapidly through hard work on the Judiciary and Appropriations committees. He chaired the latter from 1988 until 1993 when he was elected chief executive of King County. That office gave Gary Locke the opportunity to prove his knack for improving social services while enforcing fiscal discipline.
Locke's popularity is undoubtedly boosted by his pretty wife, the former Mona Lee. Before their marriage in October of 1994 she was a news reporter at Seattle's KING-TV. She gave birth to a daughter in 1997, then a son in 1999. As first lady Mona has won raves by championing the causes of early learning and quality childcare.
Gary Locke has never publicly shown interest in running for national office.
Supporters see no other progression for the lifetime civil servant. They dismiss racial concerns by citing the fact that only about 6% of Washington voters are Asian, not very different from the 4% figure nationally. Some even feel that Locke's prospects for winning the presidency are better than that of any other minority politician. They cite his cleancut image combined with a sterling track record at the helm -- not to mention the likely support of the world's biggest software company.
Others believe that on the national political stage an Asian politician would have so much of an uphill battle simply trying to establish that he is an American to have a shot at getting his message across.
Could Gary Locke win a presidential election or would he be foolish even to consider a run?
This interactive article is closed to new input.
Discussions posted during the past year remain available for browsing.
CONTACT US
|
ADVERTISING INFO
© 1996-2013 Asian Media Group Inc
No part of the contents of this site may be reproduced without prior written permission.
|
|
|
|
WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:59:28 PM)
great posts from Asian American Male and Geoff DB. i too noticed that white particularly like it when minorities have spats with other minorities.
actually a few times at a former job, a white person came up to me and talked. he asked and i told him i was chinese. he then proceeded with his anti japanese banter. what if i was japanese? i bet he had that anti chinese speech all ready.
another time a manager goaded another asian employee into arguing with a black employee during the meeting. at the end of the argument you can see the giddiness in the eyes of some of the white employees.
somehow it is reassuring to whites to know that minorities have not banded against them. i really do think minorities should stop this stupidity.
whatever
Friday, March 01, 2002 at 00:50:17 (PST)
to: ai-ya
I could be wrong, but
with the exception of college admissions, asian do benefit from affirmitive action. Asians do benefit when applying jobs in the government or
companies that contract out to the federal government.
korean guy
Thursday, February 28, 2002 at 19:26:37 (PST)
More on the GOP policies towards Asians. Honda, Toyota and other foreign corporation employ more Americans than GM and Ford (which employs more foreigners), but when it comes to "American" they are excluded although they are made in America, while the GM and Ford brand are made abroad. Some convoluted thinking!
http://www.cnn.com/2002/ALLPOLITICS/02/25/bush.cars/index.html
Asian American Male
Thursday, February 28, 2002 at 12:25:38 (PST)
Ai Ya:
You have a right to vote who you want, but all your facts are plain wrong.
"in the spirit of full disclosure, I will admit I am a registered Republican (have been since I became eligible to vote in this country) and usually vote GOP."
I am a registered independent and have voted Democrat and GOP.
”no one ever said that there are not racist elements within the Republican party. There are embarassing members, such as Buchanan and others.”
Most of the southern GOP as Naki says belongs to this group, the product of GOP's racist Southern Strategy. I would give you a list: Rep. Jo Ann Davis (VA), Howard Coble (NC), Robin Hayes (NC), Bob Barr (GA), Charlie Norwood (GA), Nathan Deal (GA), John Linder (GA), Saxby Chambliss (GA), Jack Kingston (GA), Mac Collins (GA), John Cookesy (LA), Tom Delay (TX), Ron Paul (TX), Anne Northrup (KY), Jo Ann Emerson (MO), Roy Blount (MO), Zach Vamp (TN), and to this you can add others, especially Tom Tancredo (CO), a big xenophobe and anti-minority and anti-immigrant (not just illegal), George Nethercutt (WA), Bob Stump (AZ) and John Shaddegg (AZ). Virgil Goode (VA) is an independent but is for all practical purposes part of the southern GOP.
"I have not read the Texas GOP platform; I will take on faith that you say correct. Care to give an example?"
Here is the attachment…isolationist, anti-NAFTA, anti-Trade (anti FDI), anti-Immigrant, anti-globalization, want to continue the system of electing judges (so that they can take money from Enron and put ordinary Texans on the street), etc…. See for yourself. It is so bad, that GW did not go to its presentation. Sounds like it is written by a bunch of xenophobes, racists and reactionaries whose main aim is to keep this country white, instead of seeing this country prosper. Great party they have down there. Are you even surprised that we have Enron?!
http://www.texasgop.org/library/RPTPlatform2000.pdf
”But, I re-iterate my original point from a few weeks ago. I vote the party of my interests, and that just is not the Democrats. They have for years defended affirmative action programmes that came, largely, at the expense of Asians here in California. They have advocated tax policies that punish success in small business development. They have provided policies to encourage illegitimacy and undermine strong family structure.”
I agree with several things the GOP stands for. However, if it comes to my own welfare and security, I have to vote Democrat. The GOP would have defended AA if they had known that white enrollments in top California schools would drop. But, they also know that increase in Asian enrollment would mean embittered whites would move to places such as Littleton, CO, which means GOP gains. Regarding illegitimacy, the GOP has not led by example either: I taught Dan Burton’s mistress in an Indiana institution of higher learning, Bob Livingston fooled around with several women while he was married, Bob Barr has been married four times, Newt Gingrich has been married three times, Henry Hyde fooled around once…and for that matter, the award for philandering in the GOP goes to Senator (very Reverend) Tim Hutchinson of Arkansas, who had a “girl” on his side for the past twenty years he was married to his now ex-wife. Great example GOP is providing…they are as bad as Bill Clinton!
”And, we are suppose to like them because they don't have guys like Bob Barr? What about Sen Hollins (D-SC) who said that foreign dignitaries come to the U N in New York so "they can have a good square meal instead of eating each other?" How about the respected Sen Byrd (D-WVa) who was a grand poobah or whatever it is in the Ku Klux Klan? Or, the rep John Durkin (thankfully, voted OUT in NH several years ago), who referred in his campaign speeches to Asians as "damn Japs?" When given the opportunity to "clarify" what he meant, said "that's what they are."”
I am the first person to agree with you that Connie Morella, Nancy Johnson, Chris Shays, Ray Lahood, Mark Souder, Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Lincoln Chaffee are better than Redneck Hollings, KKK Byrd, John Durkin and many others….However, one has to ask the question as to what happens if I vote for Morella, Johnson, Shays, etc? Who has the power? Do we get clean New England values. No. We get Texas and Enron values…Tom Delay, Dick Armey, Lamar Smith and Ron Paul and perhaps even the values of John “the Enron Crony” Cornyn (the state AG who claims to defend the honor of Texas of which none is left). What happens if I vote for Collins, Snowe and Chaffee…do I get Maine values…honest and clean living…a state with no corruption scandals…no, I get Enron and white southern values….Trent Lott, Tim Hutchinson, Don Nickles, Richard Shelby, Jesse Helms and other white southerners. Now what happens if I vote for KKK Byrd…I get Tom Daschle, Mariah Cantwell, Patty Murray, Ron Widen, Bryan Drogan, Jim Jeffords and other folks who are not exclusive to the south. What happens if I vote for Rep. Phelps of Illinois (although he is as close to right wing as it gets), I may get Gephardt, but I will also get others such as Marty Meehan, Zoe Lofgren, Howard Berman, Jay Inslee and other moderate folks. By the way, Gephardt may leave in 2004. I definitely do not get pandering to white southerners, Bob Jones University and confederate flag wavers!
"Will the GOP nominate someone like Riordan? I live in California, and right now, he is ahead in the polls, and likely WILL get the nomination."
Wrong again. For a guy who is in the GOP, you have not been following the news lately. Simon is ahead of Riordan and he is likely to win…he has all the momentum. See attachment below:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/1700282p-1780676c.html
“Finally, the paranoia about anti-immigrant GOP policy needs to be separated: anti-immigrant versus anti ILLEGAL immigrant. As a legal, naturalised American, I resent the way the Democrats fawn over people who flout the laws and come here, while those of us STUPID enough to follow the rules wait in line and pick up the tab.”
Agreed. But, the main reason, we have this nonsense is because the GOP and the Democrats have buried their heads in the sand. They do not want to develop an immigration policy for a global economy. They keep arguing that foreigners who are let in to the US take high tech jobs that belong to the Americans. However, they fail to understand that the corporations may not hire Americans and are likely to move the job abroad. This has happened time and again in Germany. Most of the world is too dumb to understand this phenomenon. The only exception is Singapore! Secondly, a lot of GOP and some Democrats also belong to the House Immigration Caucus led by Tom Tancredo (CO) which wants to seal the US borders.
I will start voting GOP when they stop putting white southern and neo-confederate and other neanderthal interests over the interests of the USA.
Asian American Male
Thursday, February 28, 2002 at 10:50:08 (PST)
Geoff DB
Sorry bud, but Hispanics have passed ya'll up as the #2 Minority in the US--look at the results of the 2000 Census.
There are more Spanish Language and Latin TV stations and Cable Networks than there are those which focus on the Black Community.
Plus, Whites don't mind sharing power with Hispanics and Asians, but they don't like sharing it with Blacks. Once again, YOU LOSE!!!
Condolances.
Thursday, February 28, 2002 at 10:26:05 (PST)
NEWEST COMMENTS |
EARLIER COMMENTS
|