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AUGUST 15, 2000

They say the donkey delivers to Indian Country and the Democratic National Convention this week in Los Angeles, California is whole-heartedly welcoming Native Americans as delegates, reporters, and interested parties.

Along with President Clinton's opening night speech in which he addressed economic development in Indian Country, Representative Patrick Kennedy of Rhode Island also spoke on the party's commitment to Indian Country.

"In this election, and beyond, we must ask ourselves whether we can afford to give our Native Americans--our Native Americans the dignity that they have so long deserved, and have yet to get," he said.

Rhode Island has one federally recognized tribe, the Narragansett Tribe, and Kennedy is also the co-founder of the Native American House caucus, the first of its kind in the party's history. The Native caucus is meeting every day of the convention this week in an effort to address issues facing tribes and native people today.

Among the issues of importance to more than 100 delegates to the caucus is sovereignty. Tribal leaders in California demonstrated the critical nature of the issue in the past two months in their educational campaign in response to a Washington state Republican Party resolution which asked that "non-republican" tribal governments be terminated.

"Its incumbent upon Indians to educate candidates, the public, and to educate new legislators," Mary Ann Martin Andreas, chairwoman of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, told Indianz.Com of the effort.

But the Democratic welcome hasn't just been extended to party advocates. Valerie Taliman, Associate Producer of Native America Calling, told listeners of the program and host Harlan McKosato yesterday of the differences she encountered in attempting to cover the Democrat and Republican conventions.

Taliman, reporting from Los Angeles, said Democratic planners were eager to bring Native media into the picture. Her experience with the Republican party wasn't always as inviting, she said.

Part of the reason for the difference in treatment is the presence of Holly Cook, a member of the Red Lake Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota. As Director of Native American Affairs for the Democratic National Committee, part of Cook's job is ensuring Indian Country is on the party's radar.

Get Kennedy's Speech:
Text of Rep. Patrick Kennedy's remarks: Democratic National Convention (The Talking Circle 8/15)

Relevant Links:
Native America Calling - www.nativecalling.org
The Democratic National Convention - www.dems2000.com
The Democratic National Committee - www.dnc.org
Al Gore 2000 - www.algore2000.com

Related Stories:
Chairwoman to speak at convention (The Talking Circle 8/11)
Convention highlights contrasts (The Talking Circle 8/14)
Recap: GOP Convention (The Talking Circle 8/4)