Gary Locke: Governor Fix-It 5/6 | Asian American Personalities

Asian American Profiles

Gary Locke: Governor Fix-It

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GS: Has race been a factor in any of your election campaigns?
GL: No. I'm really pleased that we won by such wide margins, yet the Chinese American population in the state of Washington is only about three percent and the Asian American population is less than five percent. We won by such very decisive margins, almost 60% of the vote when I was reelected, 57% of the vote when I was first elected.

GS: Despite that, do you feel any special pressure as the highest ranking or most visible Asian politician?
GL: It's been my belief that I can blaze a trail for other Asian Americans to enter politics if I can chip away at the glass ceiling by being a good governor. And by being a good governor, the rest of America, the people in our state are much more receptive to more people of color running for political office. I openly admit that I have benefitted from the success and the courageous efforts of other political leaders before me. Whether it's Dolores Sibonga who ran for Seattle City Council, Wing Luke who's the first Chinese American member of a major city council in America -- unfortunately, he died in a plane crash in the early 60s -- to Norm Mineta and Bob Matsui and Senator Inouye, Patsy Mink.
All those individuals have helped blaze the trail and their acclaim and the success they enjoyed among their colleagues in Congress, the respect they have nationwide, have made it easier for me to run for office. And I hope that what I have accomplished will make it easier for even more Asian Americans to run for office.

GS: Do you think an Asian American can be elected president?
GL: Depends on the person. Depends on the qualities of the individual and the platform of that individual.

GS: How about in 2008? Is that a realistic time for an Asian American to think about running for the presidency?
GL: Given the mood of the country and the concerns that people have, I think it would be possible for an African American or an Asian American to run for president now, and clearly in 2008. It really depends on the characteristics, the charisma, the goals, the platform, of that particular person and also the situation that the country finds itself in.

GS: Would you be in favor of a constituional amendment to allow a naturalized citizen to run for president? I hadn't thought about that before. I'll have to give some thought to it.

GS: One proposal would require 20 years of U.S. residence.
GL: I was going to say that. Clearly we have a lot of people who were born in others countries who came over as children but who have basically grown up their entire lives in the United States. I don't know why they should be prohibited the opportunity or even America be denied the opportnity to benefit from their leadership.

GS: There's apparently a movement to get Arnold Schwarzenegger to run for president in 2008.
GL: [Laughs] But also people like [Michigan] Governor Jennifer Granholm who was raised all her life in the United States but was actually born in Canada.

GS: Your official reason for not seeking a third term is your desire to have a normal family life.
GL: I find it very hard ever to mow the lawn at our Seattle house. I love home projects and find very little time to do that.

GS: You're Mr Fix-It?
GL: I really love working with my hands and doing plumbing and wiring and construction and gardening and things like that.

GS: What has your family sacrificed because you've been Governor all these years?
GL: Well, we do live in a governor's residence where there are no next door neighbors.

GS: Is that good or bad?
GL: It would be nice to just walk out the door and chat with your neighbors and chew the fat and shoot the bull and for the kids to run around and just bop in and out with the kids down the street or next door and play. Wherever you go, the people in the state are absolutely terrific, offering their thoughts or just saying thanks for the great job or just asking about the kids. When you're out of politics, we can have a lot more privacy and more time for ourselves.

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GS: Mona was a successful TV journalist. What has she given up?
GL: She actually has sacrificed an incredible amount. She gave up her career as soon as we announced that we decided to run for governor because it would be a conflict of interest to have her as a news reporter and me running for governor at the same time. She is so much more articulate, vivacious and outgoing, and just a really outstanding speaker.

GS: What impact did being Governor have on your marriage?
GL: It really brought us together because we campaigned together. We had only been married about two years or a year and a half when we decided to run for governor, so it was really an incredible experience to travel the state together. We really ran as a team. She was my confidant and advisor. We just did so much together that it really helped us bring us so much closer.

GS: With all that togetherness, did you discover any things about one another that are hard to deal with?
GL: It was a hotly contested democratic primary. I simply could not have gone through that primary without her being there. The emotional support was just incredible. It's hard to describe to people unless they've actually run for office in a grueling campaign. And being County Executive at the same time. Trying to do two things, then crisscrossing the state. That's why I say, had we had kids, young kids, at that particular time, we never would have taken on that task. PAGE 6