Politics is reality. Dr. Lee （李恕信） was not discouraged even though she did not win the congressional race with a small margin in the Republican Primary in Houston, Texas. After the campaign, she expressed her desire to support President Bush's reelection to Mr. Ron Kauffman, the Political Director of the White House during President George H. Bush's administration. Mr. Kauffman complimented her close race and granted her request to work for the Bush/Quayle (BQ) campaign HQ as a salaried staff – national coordinator for Asian and Pacific American Coalition (APAC) for Bush/Quayle '92. She was the first full-time salaried Asian-American campaign staff ever at a presidential campaign headquarters. She believed it was a good opportunity to galvanize Asian Americans for the President's reelection. Previously, GOP presidential campaigns never had a paid staff in charge of Asian American voters; Dr. Lee was the first one. In 1988, Cindy Daub, the Korean wife of a congressman, was in charge of the Asian American voters as a volunteer.
Background of the Bush/Quayle ’92 Campaign
Politics is reality. Dr. Lee was not discouraged even though she did not win the congressional race with a small margin in the Republican Primary. After the congressional campaign, she expressed her desire to support President Bush's reelection to Mr. Kauffman, the Political Director of the White House during President George H. Bush's administration. Mr. Kauffman complimented her close race and granted her request to work for the Bush/Quayle (BQ) campaign HQ as a paid staff – national coordinator for Asian and Pacific American Coalition (APAC) for Bush/Quayle '92. She was the first full-time salaried Asian-American campaign staff ever at a presidential campaign headquarters. She believed it was a good opportunity to galvanize Asian Americans for the President's reelection. Previously, GOP presidential campaigns never had a paid staff in charge of Asian American voters; Dr. Lee was the first one. In 1988, Cindy Daub, the Korean wife of a congressman, was in charge of the Asian American voters as a volunteer.
In fact, many Asian American party activists were fighting for this position since the beginning of 1992. People believed this important and powerful position would lead to a major appointment. In the Asian American political circle no one thought about Dr. Lee to spear head this efforts since she was busy with her congressional race. People were surprised when Dr. Lee was appointed to this staff position.
Dr. Lee was appointed to be the National Coordinator for Asian/Pacific Americans for Bush/Quayle’92 in May, 1992 with extensive responsibilities. She began to work at the Bush/Quayle campaign HQ in L Street until the end of the campaign in November. Her major responsibility was to reach out, organize, galvanize and turn out both Asian/Pacific American and non-Asian/Pacific American voters throughout the nation. She reached out more than 20 Asian groups and organized them according to their ethnic background at both state and national levels. Each ethnic group had its own national chair, state chairs and steering committees. She made sure that those long-time and well-known Asian Republicans, such as Anna Chennault, Elaine Chao and John Tsu were recognized in the structure. Yet, she also included the new “blood” who were energetic and able to deliver the planned tasks. It was a very delicate task to ensure fraction free among all diverse groups and community leaders. Through her travel and coordination she planned many campaign events in conjunction with the schedule of both President Bush and Vice President Quayle.
Meanwhile, she also compiled a list of Asian newspapers throughout the country. The Asian American voters were kept informed of the events, issues and position of BQ'92. The high tech via internet made the information dissemination very rapidly. Toward the end of the campaign, one major Asian American financial contributor from Florida asserted his influence in the White House and Republican National Committee to place his friend at the parallel position with Esther as a co-national coordinator. Due to his limited campaign experience and network of other Asian groups his primary target group was those Indian Americans from East India. During Esther’s more than 5 months at the campaign HQ she was assisted by several young and full-time volunteers including Luke Bellachi. Later he became a legislative staff at the US Congress.
Esther was also the key organizer and responsible for the participation of Asian Americans at the 1992 GOP National Convention in Houston. She was determined to double or even triple the number of Asian American delegates and alternates. She rallied and educated the Asian Americans to become delegates and alternates via either election or appointments. As a result the number was unprecedented and record breaking. Esther herself was elected as a delegate from her own congressional district as a result of her years of hard work.
Dr. Lee' experience at the GOP National Convention in Dallas in 1984 as an appointed alternate inspired her to form an Asian American auxiliary (Texas Asian Republican Caucus) under the State Republican Party. She witnessed how enthusiastic Asian Americans were misled to the Convention without the required credentials and left outside the convention entrance. They simply were not advised or guided how to become a delegate or an alternate. Since then she had encouraged and involved Asian American activists to take part in her grassroots efforts like the Texas Asian Republican Caucus (TARC) and her own congressional campaign in 14 cities in 1991-1992. The TX party Chairman, George Strake was a strong supporter of her efforts.
The BQ campaign took a big turn/dive after the National Convention in Houston. Based on Esther’s analysis the failure of the race was attributed by the following facts:
over complacent of the top campaign leaders who refused to attack Clinton’s Jennifer Flour’s case and wanted to keep on the high road
the campaign was over controlled by the right wing who only focused on the family issues and totally ignore the economic condition and pocket book of the voters
Bush’s poor performance at the debate with Bill Clinton
Dr. Lee believes in loyalty and commitments even at the expenses of her interests. She demonstrated the same level of loyalty to BQ'92 as she did with Senator Dole's campaign in 1988 primary. As the poll turned against Bush after the GOP National Convention, some campaign staff and political appointees started leaving. Meanwhile, she was notified by the University of Houston/Clear Lake to either return for the fall semester to teach or resign from her tenured position. She chose to relinquish her tenured and secured position and decided to stay until the last minutes of the campaign as she always did. In the last two months of the campaign Esther worked tirelessly to turn out Asian American’s votes. She spent more than 14 hours daily at the campaign HQ. Based on the report of Time Magazine, Asian Americans had the highest percentage for Bush/Quayle as compared with all other ethnic groups; nearly 60% Asian Americans voted for Bush/Quayle'92. Esther was very satisfied with and proud of the results.
All documents of Asian Americans' participation in BQ'92 including the final report, memos, correspondence and newspaper clippings have been archived at the Bush Presidential Library and Museum at College Station, Texas. There is only limited number of scanned files in this folder.
As of May 13, 2010
In fact, many Asian American party activists were fighting for this position since the beginning of 1992. People believed this important and powerful position would lead to a major appointment. In the Asian American political circle no one thought about Dr. Lee to spear head this efforts since she was busy with her congressional race. People were surprised when Dr. Lee was appointed to this staff position.
Dr. Lee was appointed to be the National Coordinator for Asian/Pacific Americans for Bush/Quayle’92 in May, 1992 with extensive responsibilities. She began to work at the Bush/Quayle campaign HQ in L Street until the end of the campaign in November. Her major responsibility was to reach out, organize, galvanize and turn out both Asian/Pacific American and non-Asian/Pacific American voters throughout the nation. She reached out more than 20 Asian groups and organized them according to their ethnic background at both state and national levels. Each ethnic group had its own national chair, state chairs and steering committees. She made sure that those long-time and well-known Asian Republicans, such as Anna Chennault, Elaine Chao and John Tsu were recognized in the structure. Yet, she also included the new “blood” who were energetic and able to deliver the planned tasks. It was a very delicate task to ensure fraction free among all diverse groups and community leaders. Through her travel and coordination she planned many campaign events in conjunction with the schedule of both President Bush and Vice President Quayle.
Meanwhile, she also compiled a list of Asian newspapers throughout the country. The Asian American voters were kept informed of the events, issues and position of BQ'92. The high tech via internet made the information dissemination very rapidly. Toward the end of the campaign, one major Asian American financial contributor from Florida asserted his influence in the White House and Republican National Committee to place his friend at the parallel position with Esther as a co-national coordinator. Due to his limited campaign experience and network of other Asian groups his primary target group was those Indian Americans from East India. During Esther’s more than 5 months at the campaign HQ she was assisted by several young and full-time volunteers including Luke Bellachi. Later he became a legislative staff at the US Congress.
Esther was also the key organizer and responsible for the participation of Asian Americans at the 1992 GOP National Convention in Houston. She was determined to double or even triple the number of Asian American delegates and alternates. She rallied and educated the Asian Americans to become delegates and alternates via either election or appointments. As a result the number was unprecedented and record breaking. Esther herself was elected as a delegate from her own congressional district as a result of her years of hard work.
Dr. Lee' experience at the GOP National Convention in Dallas in 1984 as an appointed alternate inspired her to form an Asian American auxiliary (Texas Asian Republican Caucus) under the State Republican Party. She witnessed how enthusiastic Asian Americans were misled to the Convention without the required credentials and left outside the convention entrance. They simply were not advised or guided how to become a delegate or an alternate. Since then she had encouraged and involved Asian American activists to take part in her grassroots efforts like the Texas Asian Republican Caucus (TARC) and her own congressional campaign in 14 cities in 1991-1992. The TX party Chairman, George Strake was a strong supporter of her efforts.
The BQ campaign took a big turn/dive after the National Convention in Houston. Based on Esther’s analysis the failure of the race was attributed by the following facts:
over complacent of the top campaign leaders who refused to attack Clinton’s Jennifer Flour’s case and wanted to keep on the high road
the campaign was over controlled by the right wing who only focused on the family issues and totally ignore the economic condition and pocket book of the voters
Bush’s poor performance at the debate with Bill Clinton
Dr. Lee believes in loyalty and commitments even at the expenses of her interests. She demonstrated the same level of loyalty to BQ'92 as she did with Senator Dole's campaign in 1988 primary. As the poll turned against Bush after the GOP National Convention, some campaign staff and political appointees started leaving. Meanwhile, she was notified by the University of Houston/Clear Lake to either return for the fall semester to teach or resign from her tenured position. She chose to relinquish her tenured and secured position and decided to stay until the last minutes of the campaign as she always did. In the last two months of the campaign Esther worked tirelessly to turn out Asian American’s votes. She spent more than 14 hours daily at the campaign HQ. Based on the report of Time Magazine, Asian Americans had the highest percentage for Bush/Quayle as compared with all other ethnic groups; nearly 60% Asian Americans voted for Bush/Quayle'92. Esther was very satisfied with and proud of the results.
All documents of Asian Americans' participation in BQ'92 including the final report, memos, correspondence and newspaper clippings have been archived at the Bush Presidential Library and Museum at College Station, Texas. There is only limited number of scanned files in this folder.
As of May 13, 2010
| Bush Quayle 1992 Summary |
