News

Presidential Election of 2008 and How We Win Our Equal Opportunity

1. 80-20's Questionnaire to Presidential candidates
2. Reply to the Questionnaire from Democratic candidates
3. Reply to the Questionnaire from the Republican candidate
4. 80-20's Recommendation on whom to support during Primaries
5. 80-20's Endorsement Convention - 80-20 Endorses Obama for President
6. How 80-20 is Helping Senator Obama
7. How Asian Ams Voted & How 80-20 works!?
8. President Obama's Record After His Election
9. Shielding APA Candidates from Racist Attacks
10. Send your view to the Transition Team - (No longer applicable)

1. 80-20's Questionnaire to Presidential candidates

1. Cover letter
2. Questionnaire (Original & Amended Versions)
3. All about Executive Order 11246
4. The case for more Asian American judges

2. Reply to the Questionnaire from Democratic candidates

YES/YES/YES/YES/YES/YES (to amended questionnaire)
President Barack Obama (01/31/2008)

YES/YES/YES/YES/YES/YES (to original questionnaire)
Vice President Joe Biden (06/15/2007)

---

YES/YES/YES/YES/YES/YES (to amended questionnaire)
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (12/10/2007)

YES/YES/YES/YES/YES/YES (to original questionnaire)
Senator Christopher Dodd (06/11/2007)

YES/YES/YES/YES/YES/YES (to original questionnaire)
Senator Mike Gravel (06/19/2007)

YES/YES/YES/YES/YES/YES (to amended questionnaire)
Senator John Edwards (12/11/2007)

YES/YES/YES/YES/YES/YES (to amended questionnaire)
Governor Bill Richardson (Received on 12/31/2007)

Failed to respond: Congressman Dennis Kucinich

3. Reply to the Questionnaire from the Republican candidate

Senator John McCain: Failed to respond**

** In spite of diligent and persistent efforts on the part of 80-20 to engage in dialog.
SPECIAL NOTE: Notwithstanding the earnest efforts to intercede on 80-20’s behalf by Republican leaders, including Senator Dan Evans (WA) and Congressman Mike Castle (DE), and major Asian American contributors to the McCain campaign, including CC Yin of the San Francisco Bay area, 80-20 deeply regrets Senator McCain’s steadfast refusal to even begin a dialog, or acknowledge or share Asian American’s legitimate civil rights concerns.

80-20 is sincerely interested in reaching out to and working with Republican and Democratic leaders alike. Our quest for equal rights is fundamental and has nothing to do with party affiliation. Which is why we are a NON-PARTISAN organization at the start. As time goes on, and if one party sends clear signals that it does not share our rightful concerns as aggrieved American citizens, then that party’s leaders shall face the consequences of its actions/inactions at election time. The respective actions of each of the presidential candidates on the 80-20 questionnaire, both Democratic and Republican, speak louder than any lofty words and speaks for itself.

80-20 urges its supporters to NOTE the respective candidate’s clear stance on our quest-for-equal-rights questionnaire and to cast their votes accordingly.

---

Failed to respond: Mayor Rudy Giuliani
Failed to respond: Governor Mike Huckabee
Failed to respond: Congressman Duncan Hunter
Failed to respond: Congressman Ron Paul
Failed to respond: Governor Mitt Romney
Failed to respond: Senator Fred Thompson

4. 80-20's Recommendation on whom to support during Primaries

California Democratic Primary:
* 01.18.2008 Press Release: 80-20 Endorses Sen. Hillary Clinton for California's Democratic Primary
* 01.22-02.25.2008 80-20's Advertising Campaign in the California Democratic Primary
* 02.04.2008 80-20's Recommendations on Who To Vote For on Super Tuesday
(80-20 predicted that Asian Americans would cast a bloc vote in California for Clinton stronger than that of the Hispanics)
* 02.05.2008 Asian Americans delivered a bloc vote on Super Tuesday! - NY Times Exit Poll
* 02.15.2008 CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 - New Video On Asian Americans:

5. 80-20's Endorsement Convention
80-20 Endorses Obama for President

* 2008 Endorsement Convention: August 2; Foster City, CA
* 08.02.2008 Press Release: 80-20 Initiative Endorses Senator Obama for President

6. How 80-20 is Helping Senator Obama
* CALL TO ACTION: Make your $5.00 donation to Senator Obama
* 80-20's Advertising Campaign in Battleground & Other States

7. How Asian Ams Voted & How 80-20 works!‏

With your support, a bloc vote led by 80-20 PAC was delivered for Obama. Here's the proof. Two reliable exit-poll results are cited.

(1) The AALDEF Poll: http://www.aaldef.org/article.php?article_id=388

AALDEF polled 16,665 Asian Am voters in 11 states, where the Asian Am population is high. It provided language assistance to those being polled. The eleven were all blue states, except for Texas which is red, Virginia and Nevada which are battleground states.

In those locations, Asian Americans favored Obama over McCain by 76% to 22%, with 2% voting for other candidates. That is we favored Obama by a 3.4 to 1 ratio. Two details revealed by that poll are noteworthy.

(a) Those with English proficiency, which 80-20's e-newsletters can reach, voted 82 to 17. That is already better that 80-20, our name sake. Wow!

(b) Every Asian Am. ethnicity followed 80-20's lead, except for the Vietnamese Am.

(2) The CNN Poll: http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1

CNN polled nationally. Its sample size for Asian Americans was so small that there was an estimated 5 pt. uncertainty. CNN didn't provide language assistance. It reported that Asian Ams voted 62% to 35% to 3% for others. 62 to 35 is only 1.7 to 1. We conjecture 62% to be on the low side.

However, the GREAT NEWS is that even the CNN number is good enough to convince the Republican Party to begin sharing the rightful concerns of Asian Ams. See below how Asian Americans, under 80-20's leadership, have shifted against the GOP in 12 years.

The following data come from CNN/(NY Times) exit polls.

In 1996, there was no 80-20, we basically voted 50/50 or favored GOP slightly. The race was Clinton(D)/Dole(R)/others. AsAms voted 43/48/8.
The GOP has a (5 pt) advantage.

In 2000, 80-20 was 2 yrs old & endorsed Gore enthusiastically because Gore sent us a strong letter of commitment while Bush didn't. AsAms voted 54/41/4 for Gore/Bush/Nader.
The GOP has a (13 pt) dis-advantage.

In 2004, 80-20 endorsed Kerry with reservation because he answered our questionnaire with all yeses (3) but failed to keep a promise. Bush didn't answer. AsAms voted 58/41/0 for Kerry/Bush/others.
The GOP has a (17 pt) dis-advantage.

In 2008, 80-20 endorsed Obama enthusiastically because he answered our questionnaire with all yeses (6), while McCain didn't. AsAms voted 62/35/3 for Obama/McCain/others.
The GOP has a (27 pt) dis-advantage!

Unless the Republican party is suicidal, which we doubt, 80-20 will soon deliver another benefit to you -- having the GOP share our rightful concerns as well.

That is how the political process works. We reward those who share our rightful concerns, and punish those who don't. Soon, both political parties will COMPETE to share our rightful concerns. Have you noticed how the Democrats and the Republicans compete to share the concerns of Jewish Americans?

Do recognize that 80-20 seeks only equal citizenship for Asian Americans, while prodding America to become "a more perfect Union."With your support, a bloc vote led by 80-20 PAC was delivered for Obama. Here's the proof. Two reliable exit-poll results are cited.

8. President Obama's Record After His Election

a) High Level Asian American Appointments:

b) Appointment of AsAm Judges & Enforcement of EO11246:

Getting ready to have an Asian Am Supreme Court Justice:
80-20 Effectiveness

9. Shielding APA Candidates from Racist Attacks
(not part of the presidential election but could be very relevant to Asian American political candidates of 2008)

10. Send your view to the Transition Team - (No longer applicable)
Don't forget to let the TT know that Asian Americans yearn for equal opportunity in the workplace and justice.