http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2008/04/17/jodirave/rave06.txt

Opinion: By now candidates should be clear on Native issues - Monday, April
14, 2008

By JODI RAVE of the Missoulian

Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton landed in Montana earlier this month to
attend a round of fundraisers and rallies and to make campaign speeches at
the annual Montana Democratic Party dinner.

Before they arrived, I started calling both campaigns with the goal of
lining up interviews with the two presidential candidates.

And I wrote stories reviewing their proposed Native policy agendas.
After it was all said and done, both campaigns proved to stand in stark
contrast in responsiveness to Native issues.

When I started making calls to Obama campaign organizers about his Native
policy agenda, I was quickly invited to interview attorney Keith Harper, a
Native policy adviser who has been with the Obama camp for the past 14
months of the 15-month-old campaign.

Campaign organizers also arranged for an interview with Obama’s chief of
staff, Pete Rouse.

Finally, an interview was scheduled with Obama himself when he spoke in
Missoula.

I asked Obama about his presidential journey, his proposed senior Native
policy adviser, health care, civil rights on tribal lands and privatization
of natural resources.

Anyone can view Obama’s Native policy agenda at
my.barackobama.com/page/content/firstamissues. It lists 30 key areas of
concern to Native America, ranging from creating a senior Native policy
adviser on the White House staff, a previous call to increase the Indian
Health Service budget by $1 billion, and strengthening early childhood and
adult education programs.

But when I contacted Clinton organizers about her Native policy platform,
the reaction was slow.

I asked if she had a senior policy adviser. I was told yes - but no name
was offered.

It seemed a great secret. I asked several people, including some of
Clinton’s staunchest Native allies in Montana. No one knew if she had a
Native policy adviser.

Finally, a spokesman told me to expect a call from Arlan Melendez, chairman
of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Nevada. The call arrived two hours
before my deadline.

I asked the campaign for an interview with one of Clinton’s senior staff
aides, too, but it was not arranged. No interview was scheduled with
Clinton, either.

I made several attempts while she was here, giving it a last go when I was
an invited guest at Clinton’s fundraiser at the Hilton Garden Inn in
Missoula.

No luck.

Clinton did meet with a reporter who writes for Lee Enterprises’ newspapers
in Montana, but they didn’t discuss Native issues.

Last week, Clinton campaign spokesman Matt McKenna said the senator will
discuss Native issues with tribes and reporters when she returns to Montana
before the June 3 primary.

And she spent time in Montana meeting with tribal leaders on her recent
visit, he said. “Sen. Clinton had a very productive meeting with Montana
tribal leaders; she listened to their concerns about health care, education
and the widespread unemployment in Indian Country.”

Her Native policy agenda is on her Web site at
www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id4076.

Melendez said Clinton’s Native agenda was “a carry-over from her husband’s
policy.”

Her agenda lists 11 key areas, ranging from appointing Native people to key
positions in federal departments and agencies, and elevating the director
of the Indian Health Service to an assistant secretary level, to supporting
tribal government rights in adopting and regulating environmental policies.

In Montana, Clinton and Obama spoke with tribal leaders behind closed
doors. That’s an important step in recognizing the government-to-government
relationship. And when former President Bill Clinton arrived in the state
before his wife to campaign for her, he had three meetings with tribal
leaders.

But at this point, both candidates should have well-defined views about the
needs in Native America.

They should consider moving their Native agendas to the “issues” sections
of their Web sites, considering Native people are unique political entities
within the federal bureaucracy - many have their own health care and tribal
court systems, tribal constitutions and law enforcement agencies.

Leading up to the Democratic National Convention in August, Clinton and
Obama have campaigned in state primaries with significant Native
populations, including Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Wisconsin,
Alaska, Oklahoma and California.

Primary elections await states like Washington, Oregon, North Dakota,
Montana and South Dakota, states that also have significant tribal
populations.

At this point in the Democratic bid for president, stakeholders everywhere
deserve to hear the candidates speak up on their proposed Native policy
agendas.

Jodi Rave covers Native issues for Lee Enterprises. She can be reached at
(800) 366-7186 or jodi.rave@....