Wampum

Now that California has moved up its primary to February 5th, the state's 250,000 Indians, some with access to newly-created gaming wealth, are asking Democratic candidates to start paying attention to their issues and concerns. Former Oklahoma Democratic Congressional candidate and district attorney Kalyn Free (Choctaw) is organizing a Democratic presidential debate at the Morongo Indian Reservation (just a few miles from where we're currently camped) this August, with the hope Democratic candidates will actually care (I for one am not holding my breath):

Indian group hopes to lure presidential candidates to Inland debate
10:00 PM PDT on Saturday, March 17, 2007
By MICHELLE DeARMOND
The Press-Enterprise

MORONGO INDIAN RESERVATION - A political Indian organization predicted Saturday that all the Democratic presidential contenders will travel to an Inland reservation this summer for an unprecedented debate with tribal leaders from across the nation.

The unique event, dubbed "Prez on the Rez," is set for Aug. 23 at the Morongo Reservation and has New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson confirmed as a participant. Kalyn Free, president of the group organizing the event, said she is confident all of the candidates will participate.

California's decision last week to move its primary to February helps, she said, because the candidates will be aggressively courting California voters.

None of the other candidates has committed to the event at the Morongo Reservation yet, including the frontrunners: Sens. Barack Obama of Illinois and Hilary Rodham Clinton of New York.

"This has never been done before," Free said at the Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa, where she spoke Saturday at a women's forum organized by the California Democratic Party's Native American Caucus. "The real practical reason (the candidates will come) is that they need us."

Indian voters have become the pivotal swing voters in some parts of the country, and candidates will want to win over those voters, she said. In California, American Indians make up a much smaller percentage of the population than in states such as South Dakota and Oklahoma -- just 1 percent in 2005, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

A few of Abramoff's clients were California tribes, and may be looking to repair ties with Democrats in order to stave off Congressional attacks on tribal sovereignty, disguised as "concern" over gaming issues. Any candidate who doesn't understand that and reach out is a fool, from a fundraising perspective. But those who don't see the goldmine of scandal fodder in Republican dealings in Indian Country with which to pummel former Senate Indian Affairs Chairman John McCain are even more undeserving idiots.

For more information, visit PrezOnTheRez.org.