Like most of you, SAFO was shocked and dismayed to learn the news about an opposition research memo entitled "Hillary Clinton (D-Punjab)'s Personal Financial and Political Ties to India," which was distributed to reporters on a not-for-attribution basis by the Obama campaign. Although intended to draw attention to Senator Clinton's hypocritical position on outsourcing, the memo was laced with criticism of Senator Clinton's longstanding support among the Indian American community.
In addition to being offended by the clear anti-Indian sentiment in the memo, we were particularly disturbed because the memo flies in the face of what we respect most about Senator Obama -- his inclusive message and his ability to relate to people of all backgrounds.
After reading the story, SAFO immediately went to work drafting a response to the campaign. As we were finalizing this response -- but before we could send it -- we received a call from the campaign in Chicago. We learned, as we had already suspected, that the memo did not reflect Senator Obama's views regarding the Indian American community, and he was deeply disturbed by its content. (Indeed, the memo even appears to contradict some the Senator's own statements regarding outsourcing.) We expressed our severe disappointment with the incident, and offered our constructive thoughts as to how the campaign should respond -- both internally and outwardly -- to rectify the situation.
On Friday evening, Senator Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe issued the following statement: "Barack Obama has been a longtime friend of the Indian-American community and our campaign is fortunate to have strong support from Indian-Americans across the country. The intent of the document was to discuss the issue of outsourcing, but we regret the tone that parts of the document took."
The response prompted a variety of reactions from our community. As organizers of an effort committed to building a relationship between the campaign and the South Asian American community, we were less than satisfied. However, we have new reason for optimism. We have been in contact with the campaign over the weekend and are confident that this issue is now receiving the attention of those at the highest level. The Senator himself is cognizant of our concerns (not just with the memo, but also the initial response) and has made clear his intention to address the situation personally. The campaign has already begun reaching out to individual members of the community, and a more public gesture will be forthcoming. Over the next several days, we will continue to communicate with the campaign to convey the sentiments of the community regarding this incident and work toward a positive resolution.
We are aware that this posting will prompt a wide range of reactions from our readers and supporters. We invite you to share your thoughts and comments with us here. We also intend to share your thoughts with Senator Obama to ensure that we continue to move this campaign, our community, and our country forward.
This posting will be updated periodically to reflect any new developments....