Tribes welcome attention by McCain and Obama
Monday, June 16, 2008
Filed Under:
Politics
Tribal leaders in Washington say they are glad the presidential candidates are finally paying to Indian Country before entering office instead of afterwards.
Mel Sheldon, the chairman of the
Tulalip Tribes, said President Bush has ignored tribes. He hopes the situation will be different under
Sen. Barack Obama
(D-Illinois) or
Sen. John McCain
(R-Arizona).
"Both candidates are listening to native America," Sheldon told The Everett Herald. "It's a really exciting time."
Obama doesn't have as much experience as McCain, the former chairman of the
Senate Indian Affairs
Committee. But a large number of tribal leaders have endorsed Obama, who was the first candidate to visit a reservation.
Ron Allen, the chairman of the
Jamestown S'Klallam Tribe, says McCain has a strong record on Indian issues. Allen is an adviser to McCain's campaign.
In terms of self-governance, jurisdictional authority and pursuing self-reliance, McCain will be solid," said Allen, who also serves as secretary of the
National Congress of American Indians.
Get the Story:
Pledges by McCain and Obama give tribes hope
(The Everett Herald 6/16)
Related Stories:
Montana sends five Native
delegates to DNC (06/12)
Rep. Boren won't
endorse Obama for president (6/11)
Blog:
Sen. Clinton's Indian outreach not a failure (6/10)
UNITY to host presidential nominees in Chicago
(6/9)
Sen. Obama expected to attend
Kalyn Free forum (6/5)
Sen. Obama claims
Democratic nomination (6/4)
NCAI
highlights Native vote in presidential race (6/3)
Mike Graham: Native vote will determine president
(6/3)
Louis Gray: Send Sen. Obama to
presidential victory (6/3)
Copyright © Indianz.Com
Subscribe