Opinion: Why Hillary Clinton Works for Asian American Women

Women's History Month Reflections on Election 2008

By Erin May Ling Quill

Times are tough right now – we’ve got a war, a mortgage crisis, ever-rising gas prices, an environment set to implode, and a Democratic Party that is almost equally divided between two candidates – and we all know who they are. Both candidates strike a very emotional response when friends sit around talking or emailing or wearing buttons in support, or spamming one another with their opinions and You Tube videos on Facebook.

All of which, by the way, I have done.  I confess, I heart Hillary. Starting in Women’s History Month, I sat to write a few words as to what Hillary’s campaign means to me as an Asian American woman. I was kind of surprised when I started my research, but the more I did, the more I ‘heart’ her.

First off: Senator Clinton has, according to a survey of paid staff conducted by DiversityInc in November 2007, the most Asian Americans working with her. I’m not one of those that got the ‘math gene’, but to me – it seems pretty obvious that if she’s paying Asian American staffers for their work and opinions, she is going to listen to them. Which means we have a voice in her campaign. [Chart] [Editor's Note: A spokesperson for the Obama campaign contacted IMDiversity asserting that the Nov. 2007 study by Diversity Inc is inaccurate, and that the campaign maintains "over a dozen paid APIA staff members".  See full corrective note.]

Senator Obama, according to the same study, has no paid Asian Americans on his staff. None. What I say to that is - wow. I have some AAPI friends who go after me with great barrels for not pulling for Senator Obama, particularly because I happen to be biracial. My AAPI friends who love Senator Obama do not just ‘like’ him – they LOOOOOOVE him – it’s more than ‘heart-ing’.

They make videos for him, they sign up voters, they make phone calls…however, I would venture to guess that they did not realize that Senator Obama has, according to this study, no paid staffers that reflect their AAPI heritage working on his campaign.

Oh, McCain has no Asian Americans working for him on his paid staff either, according to the same 2007 research.

Second: Senator Clinton has the most women on her staff, when you break it down by gender.  In her senior staff she has about fifty two percent women, forty eight percent men. Senator Obama’s paid senior staff comes in at twenty percent women, and eighty percent men. Senator Obama has two women among his 12 senior staffers. (It had been three before one of his female staffers resigned after calling Senator Clinton “a monster’ in an interview.) Senator Clinton has eight women out of 14 senior staffers.

This is one of the things, that, as an Asian American woman is very important to me. Too often in America, women are the recipients of gender bias – it probably happens to you at least once a day and mostly, they are small things – someone calls you ‘Honey’, someone winks at you or discounts your opinion; these are small things.

Asian American women get a double whammy, because we have been characterized as ‘submissive,’ and ‘submissive’ women are even easier to discount than ‘normal’ women. African American women have been very successful at turning the tables and embracing their label as ‘a strong, Black woman’ – so successful that Kathy Griffin co-opted it into her comedy act, but Asian American women have not had as much positive reinforcement on catchphrases like, um…oh yeah – ‘Dragon Lady’.

Asian women (I include Southeast Asian and the Middle Eastern women in that description) and by descent Asian American women have had an enormous amount of tangible violence perpetuated on them. Anything that can be done to debase and violate human dignity has been perpetuated on Asian women – in every country, across the globe. Senator Clinton has hired the daughters and sons of those women. She stands up for Asian Americans with high ranking AAPI staffers, whose voices and concerns will be heard, and that is a definite step forward.

Following Women’s History Month, we should celebrate that this is the most input we have ever had in a primary for a national candidate.  Women account for half of the world’s population. It’s 101 men for every 100 women. [Survey]

Asian American women are in a prime position to not only help elect the first woman to hold the office of President, we have some AAPI Women involved that will have their opinions count on a level never before seen in this country.

In fact, you should read, as a woman, Senator Clinton’s speech to the New York State Family Planning Providers, given two days before the 32nd anniversary of Roe v. Wade. I think it speaks volumes. Sometimes, it all just comes down to a woman talking women’s issues that have been heretofore decided by men. Here’s an excerpt:

"Now with all of this talk about freedom as the defining goal of America, let's not forget the importance of the freedom of women to make the choices that are consistent with their faith and their sense of responsibility to their family and themselves…

"As an advocate for children and families throughout my life, as a lawyer who occasionally represented victims of sexual assault and rape, as a mother, as a wife, as a woman, I know the difference that good information, good education, and good health care can make in empowering women and girls to make good decisions for themselves." – Hillary Clinton [See speech]

Senator Obama’s sister, Maya, is married to Korad Ng, so while he doesn’t have any paid Asian American staff advising him, he does have an Asian American link in his immediate family. Lisa Ling, formerly on The View,  actress Kelly Hu, and actor Kal Penn have also come out for Senator Obama. These endorsements are on his website [View section].

"Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have a huge opportunity to make a difference in this election," said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. "Hillary Clinton has been a consistent champion and friend of the AAPI community. She is ready to be our next president and the AAPI community is ready to support her. I look forward to leading the charge to help make Hillary the candidate of choice for AAPI voters."

More AAPI political names that have come out strongly for Senator Clinton are listed on her website. One of the most interesting things to me about their endorsements are that they come from the ‘worker bees’ of government. There are assemblymen, mayors, councilmen, etc. They are the people that are needed to enact legislation and change on a local, state, and national level.

The list is impressive, and I believe those people, of AAPI heritage, who fight the fight every day, are much more familiar with every nook and cranny detail as to what you need to make government work. [Release]

To be honest, both Democratic candidates seem to want what is best for America – they are not so far apart on many issues.  Better education, economic growth, health care – ok, they aren’t so close with the health care, but as they come from the same party, their stances are similar –but now they will play out those positions on a national stage. The question for Asian American women will be, Who best represents us? A woman in power is nothing if not ‘change”.

One of my friends told me that, in his opinion, being in the White House for eight years as First Lady does not qualify you as a candidate. He said nothing about her long community service record, or her role as Senator of New York state.

Let’s address the whole First Lady issue – here’s a quote:

“My own views of family planning and reproductive rights are heavily influenced by my travels as First Lady. I saw firsthand the costs to women when the government controls their reproductive health decisions.” - Hillary Clinton

I think it does count as experience. As an artist, you learn some of the greatest lessons by observing and then executing your own vision – so I’m ok with that. She’s got definite plans that look viable. She won in Texas, where they said that the economy was the most important issue in deciding who to vote for. She won in Ohio because of her stance on the plight of the middle class. She’s for universal health care. From where I am sitting, Senator Clinton has a very broad and powerful appeal.

I was also told that I was only for Senator Clinton because I am a woman. I have not heard anyone accuse men of only voting for Senator Obama because he is a man.  I am supporting Senator Clinton, in part, because she is a woman. It’s not the only reason, but as I thought about it, I realize, if someone accuses me of that, I have no problem with it. I think women are fantastic.

Ladies, I ask you -How many women do you know that cannot multi-task? That cannot absorb information, make an assessment based on a wider range of knowledge than most men even care about, and then make an informed judgment on information presented? Ummmm, I don’t know any women who cannot do that. Ladies, Do you?

Let’s just clear this up: I like Senator Obama. I like his wife – if SHE were running, I would vote for her. Michelle Obama is a multi-tasker. She runs her home, her medical school, and she’s kinda brilliant – she reminds me of Senator Clinton.

Hey, maybe Michelle Obama could be named as Hillary’s running mate? Because Senator Clinton stated she is open to being a running mate with Senator Obama, but he’s not willing to do the same – Aiya! MEN! So stubborn!

“This country can no longer afford to choose our leaders from a talent pool limited by sex, race, money, powerful fathers and paper degrees. It’s time to take equal pride in breaking all the barriers. We have to be able to say: “I’m supporting her because she’ll be a great president and because she’s a woman.” - Gloria Steinem, co-founder of the Women’s Media Center

On the Net

• Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders who have endorsed Senator Clinton

Other Readings of Interest @ IMDiversity

• Thoughts on Women's History Month 2007 and the Candidacy of Hillary Clinton
  By Carol Amoruso, Hispanic American Village Editor