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Campaign 2012: A Review of Armenian-American Advocacy Organizations in Presidential Elections
By Taniel Koushakjian
FLArmenians Political Contributor
Armenian-Americans have what few ethnic groups enjoy: knowledgeable, skilled, and effective leadership in Washington, DC. The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) and the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) are organized, principled and steadfast in protecting the rights of Armenian-Americans, developing a strong US-Armenia relationship, helping the people in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh achieve freedom and democracy, and overall successfully representing the community in the nations capital for over 40 years. When it comes to ethnic political organizations, the Assembly and the ANCA are models for other minorities in America.
Looking at the relationship of Armenian-American advocacy organizations with US Presidential campaigns, one must rely on the record of the ANCA, as the Assembly is an independent, non-profit organization that is not involved in electioneering or endorsing of political candidates at any level. Full disclosure: the author is a former employee of the Assembly.
On Monday, October 15, 2012 the ANCA, the largest partisan Armenian-American advocacy organization, reported that they would not be endorsing either Barack Obama or Mitt Romney for President of the United States. “While we remain open to constructive engagement with both campaigns, we have no plans at this time to issue an ANCA endorsement this Presidential election cycle,” stated Chairman Ken Hachikian. The statement goes on to read, “the ANCA holds that neither Presidential candidate has earned the formal support of the Armenian American community.”
Why would the ANCA announce withholding a US presidential endorsement 22 days away from such an important election? A review of the ANCA’s statements over the last four years and their track record in US presidential contests over the last 20 years sheds light.
As rightfully noted in their 2012 announcement, the ANCA whole-heartedly endorsed Senator Barack Obama in 2008. After President Obama failed to live up to his campaign pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide as President, his nomination and subsequent recess appointment of Matthew Bryza to serve as US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, and the fact that neither President Obama nor Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have met with Armenian-American community leaders, the ANCA had very little political room to maneuver in this regard. Further boxing themselves into a corner, the ANCA publicly slammed President Obama for the aforementioned policies, publicly lambasted then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2010 for failing to bring the Armenian Genocide Resolution to the floor for a vote (to be fair, this response was more warranted in 2007), then privately blasted House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer in front of a crowd assembled to commemorate the Armenian Genocide on Capitol Hill. Out of natural self-interest and after having their endorsement of President Obama thrown by the wayside, it was politically impossible for the ANCA to endorse President Obama for re-election.
In addition, it was interesting to read in the same ANCA press release that they are withholding an endorsement of former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. An historical review of ANCA presidential endorsements over the last 20 years reveal that, when it comes to the race for the White House, only Democrats are worthy. Further analysis of the success rate of the ANCA’s presidential endorsements over the last 20 years, unfortunately, leaves much to be desired for the Armenian-American community; specifically, the two-time endorsement of Bill Clinton, who single-handedly blocked passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution in his final year in office; John Kerry, who lost his challenge to Republican President George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, who pandered to the Armenian-American community above and beyond any of his predecessors. The ANCA withheld an endorsement in the 2000 presidential election as well.
However, what is most interesting is an omission from this years ANCA press release regarding Mitt Romney’s statements as Governor of Massachusetts. According to a February 2008 ANCA press release, Mitt Romney shared with them copies of his four Armenian Genocide proclamations during his time as Governor of Massachusetts. “While the first three statements during his four years in office properly described the Armenian Genocide as genocide, his fourth and final statement refrained from using the accurate terminology,” read the 2008 ANCA press release. Yet the October 15, 2012 press release goes on to state, “Mitt Romney…has no evident public record on Armenian issues from his four-year tenure as Governor or his two campaigns for the White House.” While it is true that Governor Romney has not issued a statement on Armenian-American issues in either of his campaigns for President, the ANCA’s 2012 statement withholding endorsement appears to be at odds with their own record.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the ANCA could not endorse President Obama for re-election and that the ANCA would not endorse Governor Romney for President of the United States.
Taniel Koushakjian is an independent political commentator for Florida Armenians. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, and is currently enrolled at the George Washington University Graduate School of Political Management in Washington, D.C.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Approves Amendment on Protection of Christian Heritage in Turkey
HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE APPROVES AMENDMENT ON PROTECTION OF CHRISTIAN HERITAGE IN TURKEY
Florida Representatives Unanimously Support Berman-Cicilline Amendment
Washington, DC – Last week, the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the Berman-Cicilline Amendment, which expresses the sense of Congress that Turkey should end all forms of religious discrimination and return confiscated church properties, as part of H.R.2583, the State Department-Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.
The Berman-Cicilline Amendment was offered by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Member Howard Berman (D-CA) and David Cicilline (D-RI), both Members of the Armenian Caucus. The measure was adopted by a vote of 43-1.
Voting in favor of the amendment were all 6 Florida Representatives who serve on the Committee, namely, Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Reps. Connie Mack (R-FL), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), David Rivera (R-FL), Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Frederica Wilson (D-FL).
The bipartisan amendment is modeled after H. Res. 306, introduced by Congressmen Ed Royce (R-CA) and Howard Berman (D-CA). Earlier it was reported that Florida Reps. Bilirakis and Ros-Lehtinen were original cosponsors of H. Res. 306. However, in a stunning retreat, Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen withdrew her cosponsorship on July 13, a week before the Committee vote. Sources close to the Committee indicated intensive lobbying efforts on the part of the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C.
“The South Florida Armenian-American community thanks Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen for her vote in support of the Berman-Cicilline Amendment,” stated 18th Congressional district resident Raffy Yaghdjian. “At the same time, our community remains concerned when our elected officials flip-flop on human rights and freedom of religion issues,” Yaghdjian told FLArmenians.
Congressman Bilirakis is the only member of the Florida delegation that is currently a cosponsor to H. Res. 304 or H. Res. 306, the Armenian Genocide resolution and the Churches bill, respectively. Recently, Rep. Bilirakis delivered remarks on stopping religious persecution at a conference sponsored by the International Coalition for Religious Freedom titled “Stop Religious Persecution Now.”
Armenian-American and Greek-American organizations supported passage of the Berman-Cicilline Amendment. In a letter sent to all Committee Members prior to the vote, the Armenian Assembly of America, along with the Eastern and Western Diocese of the Armenian Church underscored the plight facing the Christian community in Turkey and the urgent need for Congress to act.
“Florida Armenians were pleased to see this issue raised and we thank Chairwoman Ros-Lehtinen, Congressman Deutch, and all of our Florida Representatives for supporting this important measure,” stated Very Rev. Fr. Nareg Berberian, pastor of St. David Armenian Church (Eastern Diocese) in Boca Raton. “We live in an era where nations are in search of expressing their unique and distinctive social, cultural and spiritual freedom. In every nation, religious minorities, particularly Christians in Turkey who have shaped its history and culture, must be granted the right to worship and pray in their own churches,” concluded Very Rev. Fr. Berberian.
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NR#: 2011-002
Florida Armenians 