Obama-Biden the Right Choice for Armenian Americans

October 24, 2008 Obama-Biden the Right Choice for Armenian Americans ANCA Reaffirms Earlier Primary Endorsement in January Expands on Nine Months of Nationwide Voter Mobilization to Secure Obama-Biden Win on November 4th The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has formalized its longstanding support for Barack Obama with an official endorsement of the Obama-Biden campaign for the Presidency of the United States. "The Armenian National Committee of America is proud today to formally announce our support for Barack Obama - whom we endorsed this January in the Democratic Primary and have energetically backed with sustained, grassroots voter mobilization for the past nine months," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "Based on Senator Obama's strong record in office, his bold statements as a candidate, and our judgment as to the types of policies he will pursue as President, we believe that an Obama-Biden Administration would be far better positioned than a McCain-Palin one to reflect the views and values of the Armenian American community." Barack Obama: The Choice for Change In a powerful statement, issued on January 20th, Senator Obama voiced his strong support for passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution and pledged that, as President, he would recognize the Armenian Genocide. The Presidential hopeful also reaffirmed his support for a strong "U.S.-Armenian relationship that advances our common security and strengthens Armenian democracy." Unlike other Democratic candidates, he also pledged to "promote Armenian security by seeking an end to the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades, and by working for a lasting and durable settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon America's founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination." Additional Information Read Senator Obama's pledge on Armenian American Issues Read a 2-page summary of Sen. Obama and Biden's record of support for Armenian American issues Read a 2-page listing of Bush-Cheney's opposition to Armenian American issues View/print an Obama/McCain comparison one-pager View Samantha Power's YouTube video in support of Senator Obama Read "McCain's Armenia Problem" in The Atlantic Read Sen. John McCain's Letters to the Armenian Community Contact Armenians for Obama and learn more about how you can get involved. The key elements of the Obama record that led to the ANCA endorsement include the following: * Public criticism of the Bush Administration for firing former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans over his truthful remarks recognizing the Armenian Genocide. He has publicly asserted that, "An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the historical facts is an untenable policy." * Strong support for the passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution currently before Congress, in his capacity as Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs. * A written pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide as President, clearly spelling out his "firmly held conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are undeniable." * A commitment to ending the cycle of genocide. He has said, on the record, that, "America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be that President." * Letters to Pres. Bush urging him to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide and a record of defending that position, when challenged. While visiting Azerbaijan in August 2005, in response to media inquiries about why he signed these letters, Senator Obama publicly defended his decision by stating that the Armenian Genocide was a historical fact. * Commitment to promoting Armenia's security "by seeking an end to the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades." * Support for "a lasting and durable settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon America's founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination." READ MORE. . . Sen. Biden's Record | The McCain-Palin Record Urge Congressional Candidates in your area to submit an ANCA Questionnaire Send a Free ANCA WebMail Published by the Armenian National Committee of America 1711 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 Tel: (202) 775-1918, Fax: (202) 775-5648, E-mail: anca@anca.org, Web: www.anca.org

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