After negotiations between 80-20 and the Obama campaign, 80-20 has agreed to modify the wording of two questions in its questionnaire. With these modifications, the Obama campaign has agreed to answer “yes” to all of the questions in the questionnaire. 80-20 appreciates the Obama campaign’s efforts to reach an amicable solution and applauds the campaign for reaffirming its strong commitment to increasing the number of Asian Americans in the federal judiciary and the enforcement of Executive order 11246 to ensue equal opportunity for Asian Americans in work places.
80-20 considers the commitment from Senator Obama to Asian American issues to be at least as strong as the commitment from Senator Clinton, Senator Edwards, and Governor Richardson. Henceforth, with the exception of California, 80-20 is neutral in the primary contests between Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.
OLD Q4 If elected, will you within your first term of office increase the nomination of qualified Asian Americans to serve as Article III life-tenured federal judges, whenever such vacancies are available until the current dismal situation is significantly remedied? [To put things in perspective, not meaning to imply quota, presently there are 0.6% Asian Am. Federal judges, while the Asian Am. population is 4.5% and the % of Asian Am legal professionals in laws firms of 100 or larger is at least 5.3%.]
NEW Q4: If elected, will you make it a top priority of your Administration to nominate qualified Asian Americans to serve as Article III life-tenured District Court federal judges, whenever such vacancies are available?
OLD Q5: If elected, will you nominate within your first term of office qualified Asian Americans to serve as Article III Circuit Judges, whenever there are vacancies in those positions, until the current dismal situation is significantly remedied? [To put things in perspective, none of the 179 Article III Circuit judges is an Asian American.]?
NEW Q5: If elected, will you make it a top priority of your Administration to nominate qualified Asian Americans to serve as Article III Circuit Judges, whenever there are vacancies in those positions?
To see Sen. Obama's signed reply, please click on http://www.80-20initiative.net/news/preselect2008.asp .
80-20 wishes to thank Dr. John Levinson of Delaware and Chris Lu of Senator Obama's campaign for their great effort in seeking a win-win solution. The above described agreement not only helps Asian Americans achieve equal opportunity but also helps nudge America towards "a more perfect Union."
Now that the two remaining Democratic presidential candidates have both replied to 80-20's questionnaires with all yeses, 80-20 will focus on getting the Republican presidential candidates to make the same commitment. We urge all Asian Americans to work with 80-20 to achieve that noble goal that will be so beneficial to our children. History beckons. UNITED, we shall overcome.
Joyfully yours,
S.B. Woo, Exec. Comm., 80-20 PAC, Inc.
Lieutenant Governor of Delaware (1985-89)
