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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?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 05:59:25 PM)
The real Asian sell outs are not Asian Females who run after white males, but Asian females and other minorities such as Yeh Ling-Ling and her ilk who want to maintain a white majority America in the name of population stabilization, so that someone such as Gary Locke would never be elected President. Check this website for true Asian and other minority sell-outs who are detrimental to our Asian American interests.
http://www.diversityalliance.org/docs/DASA-BoardBios.html
Asian Researcher
Friday, March 29, 2002 at 18:34:50 (PST)
Texas Asian American Republican:
I agree with you about George Bush, but what you say about others in the GOP is way off the mark. Richard Bond, the former chairman of the GOP National Committee writes the following in the LA Times:
"Immigrant-bashing has been a favored tactic for many in the Republican Party--remember California's Proposition 187?--but President Bush and GOP leaders in Congress have wisely begun to reverse that nativist trend."
Bond goes on to say:
"There is also a high political price that state and national Republicans have paid for pursuing the so-called wedge issues in the past. Look at the track record of GOP presidential and gubernatorial candidates in California: Bob Dole in 1996 got 38% of the vote; Dan Lungren in 1998, 38%; George W. Bush in 2000, 40%. During the same period, California Republicans lost three congressional seats, two state Senate seats and five Assembly seats."
"In California during the same decade, Latinos increased by more than 3 million and Asians by nearly 1 million.
Clearly, the message of California Republicans has not grown over the same period to appeal to these groups.
The party and the country stand at a crossroads. Either we adopt a restrictionist path, which calls for mass deportation of millions of hard-working people, or we follow the president's lead and adopt constructive reforms designed to end illegality, recognize the contributions of immigrants and make our borders more secure."
Is the GOP the party of Nathan Deals, Tom Tancredos, Ron Pauls, Lamar Smiths. Bob Barrs, Ann Northrups, Jo Ann Daviss and Jo Ann Emersons and other rednecks, or is it the party of George Bush? Which party would it become after GW leaves the scene? GW's party? or the party of the white trash rednecks who drafted the Texas GOP Platform in 2000!
Texan
Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 10:24:42 (PST)
"Getting an Hispanic Majority in Texas doesn't guarantee that the Democrats will get back into power in Texas. If anything, it will probably make them lose even more power."
Not after George Bush leaves the scene and the GOP continues to bash Hispanic and other immigrants as Tom Tancredo (R-CO) and Lamar Smith (R-TX) recently did. I love conservative values...regarding values I am to the right of most white right wing GOP. But, I do not share their views on interracial dating, which is an abomination to all religions (aka Bob Jones University) and I am very afraid of their immigration bashing. Any self-respecting minority with half a sense would never vote for GOP in Texas, not with that platform of theirs. It comes down to what you value most---your life or your values. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Asian American Male
Thursday, March 21, 2002 at 09:13:55 (PST)
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