Transcript for the Piece Audio version of Another Promise to Native Americans

Obama: I?ll appoint an American Indian policy advisor to my senior White House staff to work with tribes. I?ll host an annual summit at the White House with tribal leaders to come up with an agenda that works for tribal communities. Because that?s how we?ll make sure that you have a seat at the table when important decisions are being made about your lives, about your nations, about your people. That?s going to be a priority when I?m President of the United States of America.

Here?s what else that I intend to do. We?re going to end nearly a century of mismanagement of Indian trusts. We?re going to work together to settle unresolved cases to figure out how the trusts ought to operate and make sure they?re being managed responsibly ? today, tomorrow and always. That?s a commitment I?m making to you as President of the United States of America. (:59)

McKosato: My name is Harlan McKosato and I?m a citizen of the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma. I host a national talk radio show called Native America Calling which is the only national talk show that focuses primarily on American Indian and Alaska Native news and issues. Last May, Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama visited the Crow Indian reservation in Montana and he was adopted by the Black Eagle family. He was still campaigning for the party nomination then and he made many promises to Native Americans. Now, when it comes to national elections there?s a lot of apathy and skepticism among Native Americans, and I believe appropriately so. We?ve heard politicians make lots of promises but rarely, if ever, are those promises followed by actions. (:42) (Obama talking to crowd let?s fade this all the way down
Harris: I?m Laura Harris, I?m Comanche, and I?m the executive director of Americans for Indian Opportunity. [fade this under your track]

McKosato: When I bring Native American leaders on our show we often talk about? [something regarding politics, try and explain the overall view Native Americans have toward the political system]

I also serve on a National Native American Policy Advisory for Barack Obama. And I serve on the National Democratic Party?s Credentials Committee. (:16) (Obama talking to crowd under actuality)

[fade up here] I think how we?re going to see that an Obama administration really carries out some of the promises they were making during the campaign is through his appointments. He?s already said he?s going to appoint somebody in the White House. He?ll have to come through on that promise ? we?ll hold him to that promise. But also through other appointments he makes: Assistant Secretary of the Department of Interior, over in the Administration for Native Americans, the director of the Indian health program. Now that?s going to be a way that we?re going to know that?s he?s going to come through with these things so they?re not just window dressing promises, but actual things that are going to turn into policy, real policy, and institutionalize Native Americans throughout the federal government. (:44) (Obama talking to crowd under actuality)

McKosato: [can we be more specific here? Why does this question come up?]
Weahkee: Hello I?m Laurie Weahkee. I?m Dine?, Cochiti, Zuni Pueblo and I work at Sage Council. I?m the Native American Voters Alliance lead organizer. I?ve also been elected as the New Mexico Super Delegate for the Democratic Party. (:16)

To me, someone who?s pandering is someone who?s coming up and, you know, trying to greet you in your Native language and they have no idea how the, you know, how the words are said or what they really mean ? those sorts of things. (:16)

Let?s mix in cuts of Obama trying to pronounce his name here. (:08)

I think that his promise to put together this annual summit for tribal nations, to me, is a really important first step. I think it was smart of him to visit. I think it was important for him to visit, but I think there?s a lot more work to do. (:14) (Obama talking to crowd under actuality)

McKosato: In the Presidential campaigns that I?ve observed during my lifetime, I?ve never heard any candidate, Republican, Democrat, or Independent, make a specific promise to Native American voters, until Obama. So I?m wondering if Obama is elected and doesn?t follow through on his promises to Native people, what will be worse ? to have been promised and let down, or never been promised at all? (Obama talking to crowd under VO)