“I have always been impressed with her,” said Pease, a Montana Board of Regents member. She said Clinton's Native policy platform closely matches her own concerns for Indian Country, particularly Clinton's recognition of the tribal and federal, government-to-government relationship, and her support of early childhood and adult education programs.
Pease also embraces Clinton's record on women's and children's issues. “As a grandmother, I think having a president with that kind of sensitivity has a great deal to do with our Native American children.”
Many of her agenda items were developed from 1993 to 2001.
“It's a carry-over from her husband's policy,” said Arlan Melendez, chairman of the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Nevada. “We knew what her relationship was with tribes, basically honoring the government-to-government relationship and our stance on sovereignty.”
Melendez helped Clinton refine her proposed Native policy statement.
“The premise of the whole platform was in making sure we had access to her should she become president,” he said, noting tribal leaders have sought reassurance from Clinton to honor a November 2000 executive order signed by President Clinton, which called for a consultation process with tribes to develop federal Indian policy.
“That still sticks in the minds of tribal leaders,” said Melendez.
During her husband's presidency, Clinton took center stage in organizing economic development meetings with tribes, said Melendez. “We were impressed with her active role.”
Melendez said one of the first presidential consultation priorities with tribes should be a discussion of the Interior Department's modernization attempts within the Bureau of Indian Affairs. “We're skeptical,” he said. “I think many tribes have a problem with the Office of the Special Trustee. It's dramatically affected tribes. It's detrimental.”
Meanwhile, tribal leaders from all seven reservations in Montana will attend the Montana Democratic Party dinner Saturday night. More than 4,000 people are expected to attend the event, which will feature campaign speeches from Sens. Barack Obama and Clinton. Tribal leaders are being seated with high-profile members of the party.
“I think both campaigns are making concerted efforts to reach out to Native Americans,” said Kevin O'Brien, spokesman for the Montana Democratic Party.
State Sen. Carol Juneau, a Mandan-Hidatsa who lives on the Blackfeet Reservation, will attend the dinner and also a Sunday brunch fundraiser in Missoula for Clinton. “She's been my choice since the beginning,” said the lifelong Indian educator. “She has a strong Native American platform.”
Juneau believes Clinton will improve substandard health care conditions for Native people. She said health care is “perhaps the strongest issue among tribes throughout the nation. Her efforts and fight for health care across America includes Native Americans.”
Melendez said Clinton, who co-sponsored the Indian Health Care Improvement Act amendment of 2007, understands the federal trust responsibility to tribal health care, and she knows how the Indian Health Service operates.
Her knowledge comes from visiting many reservations across the country. The New York senator has earned the political endorsement of Joe Shirley, president of the Navajo Nation, the largest tribe in the country.
“We understand her track record,” Melendez said. “Anyone else, we would be skeptical. Obama will be pulled in so many directions by the African American community. We wonder if he'll even have time to address Native American issues or even meet with us. We don't feel he knows Indian Country from hands-on experience.”
Reporter Jodi Rave can be reached at 800-366-7186 or at jodi.rave@lee.net.
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