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JUNE 8, 2000

Vice President Al Gore raised almost $400,000 during a Tuesday meeting with 40 Indian leaders representing 16 tribes primarily from the California area.

Fundraising directly from Indian tribes is a new method of raising money for the Democratic National Committee. Since members of Indian tribes tend to vote Democrat, they are part of the Democratic Party's natural base even though American Indians and Alaska Natives represent about 1% of the population overall.

With the rise of wealthy tribes in Minnesota, Connecticut, and California, meeting with tribes, particularly those with gaming operations, appears to be part of Al Gore's fundraising plans for the 2000 Campaign.

In April, Gore made an appearance at the Gathering of Nations Powwow after holding a town meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico. However, he did not hold a fundraiser even though 12 New Mexico tribes are actively gaming.

Tribal leaders in California appear to have strong support for Gore and his positions on Indian issues. "Al Gore has made a commitment to who we are as a people," said Mary Ann Martin Andreas, chairwoman of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians from Banning, California. Martin Andreas introduced the Vice President at the fundraiser.

But for others, just meeting with American Indians appears to be enough to warrant support. "Vice President Al Gore has taken the time to meet and speak with us and candidate [George W.] Bush has not," said Barbara Gonzales Lyons, vice chairwoman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians.

During his speech, Al Gore showed his commitment to two important Indian issues, improved health care and increased economic opportunities. Although these are important issues to the American population as a whole, these two issues tend to be ignored on Indian reservations and in areas with large populations of urban Indians.

"I don't wear rose-colored glasses," he said, "but I think that it's important to take stock of the fact that we have made success in the direction of progress."

Gore alluded to the plans President Clinton's administration has made to turn Indian reservations into empowerment zones when the President visited the Oglala Sioux reservation at Pine Ridge, South Dakota last year. Gore's technology commitment can be found in the "Bridging the Digital Divide plan" that proposes to give American Indians better access to phone services and thus, to the information superhighway.

But Vice President Gore said more work is still needed to bring more private companies onto reservations to create jobs.

He also realizes his limitations when it comes to understanding the plight of American Indians and Alaska Natives. "I know -- I say that I know, but I don't know in the same way that you know -- the burden of history on Indian people," said Gore.

Although the Vice President has not directly endorsed gambling, Chris Lehane, Gore's spokesman, said "We support their [tribes'] right to do what they want to do on their land."

Many tribal leaders fear the election of candidate George W. Bush as President after he made comments that states should have the the ultimate say in Indian issues. Al Gore seems to have used the fear of the election of George W. Bush to his advantage while at the same time expressing problems with the current state of campaign fundraising.

"I accept that there's a great irony in this [fundraising] process," Gore said. He committed himself to overhauling the current state of campaign finance. "We need sweeping reforms to end the money chase," the Vice President said.

Currently, tribes in California and Governor Gray Davis are under scrutiny for alleged improprieties regarding campaign contributions.

Related Stories:
Study: Tribes' campaign contributions unreported (The Talking Circle 6/6)
Tribes seek Gore, Bush (The Talking Circle 6/1)
Gaming tribes hold power (Money Matters 5/30)
Gathering grabs spotlight (Arts & Entertainment 5/1)
Indian Country: Falling into the Digital Divide? (Tech 04/17)
Clinton Pledges Indian Country Support (The Talking Circle 04/14)
Clinton's Proposal Draws Skeptics (The Talking Circle 4/14)
Indian Country: Falling into the Digital Divide? (Tech 04/11)
Digital Divide Stats (Tech 4/11)

Relevant Links:
Gore 2000: www.algore.com