Indian Americans make an impact on ‘Super Tuesday’
Republicans have a clear Presidential candidate.
Democrats are yet to decide. Both Hillary and Obama have claimed to have come out on top on Tuesday.
One by the number 0f Delegate counts and another by number of states.
If Indians can help swing decisions they will be wooed. That is the only way Indians can get noticed.
The number of Indians in New Jersy, and Silicon valley are substantial.
New York: Indian Americans, who have a sizeable population in crucial ‘Super Tuesday’ states like California, New York, New Jersey and Illinois, voted in large numbers in the presidential primaries to play a vital role in shaping the country’s political landscape.
Indian American voters may have, in fact, been the swing voters in some of the closely contested states, thus contributing to determining the front-running nominees for president from the Democratic and Republican parties.
New Jersey, which traditionally held its primaries long after the races were more or less decided, was moved up to Super Tuesday this time.
According to a statement by the US-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC), which claims to be the political voice of 2.5 million Indian Americans, the community’s support for Barack Obama inched closer in the past month to that for Hillary Clinton because he was able to win over the middle-class and younger voters. Clinton eventually triumphed in a close race between the two Democrats.
“The Indian American understands the importance of participating in the political process, especially this year, given New Jersey’s significant relevance in helping to elect the nation’s next president,” said Rob Andrews, Democrat Congressman from the state.
In California, the 300,000 Indian Americans who work in Silicon Valley, looked for the most business-friendly candidate who believes that market forces are best and that outsourcing is not a “war against the (American) middle class” as CNN commentator Lou Dobbs would have you believe.
Outsourcing, however, has not been a big issue during the presidential race so far, partly due to growing concerns over domestic issues such as the looming recession. The leading presidential candidates have broadly been in favour of allowing the global economy to dictate the flow of jobs and business.
Hillary Clinton is well known in India. Indians in the subcontinent do have soft corner for Hillary. Obama is from the moon so far as Indians from the subcontinent are concerned. Hillary has made her attitude towards India clear. Some excerpts.
WASHINGTON: Aiming to woo the Indian-American community ahead of the “Super Tuesday” primaries, Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has said she will make America’s relations with India among the “most important” ones if she enters the Oval office.
“I’ll reach out to our allies again and work with them to tackle global problems. America’s partnership with India will be among the most important,” the former First Lady said in an opinion piece in India Abroad newspaper.
“From globalisation and nuclear proliferation to climate change and terrorism — India matters more than ever,” Clinton said.
Reminding the community, which has become a powerful voice in domestic politics, that she is no stranger to India, Clinton recalled her visits to the country and reminisced about her meeting with UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her address to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation.
The Democratic front-runner said she was “honoured to represent a thriving Indian American community, among the most successful immigrants in our nation’s history”.
“Our two great democracies must be strategic partners, bound together by shared values and common interests,” Senator Clinton said. “As President, I will work with India to make our strong friendship even stronger — to the benefit of both nations
[...] Just to throw this into the mix: What the hell is an “Indian American“? [...]