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The exciting thing in Indian Country in 2008 is the dramatic rise in the level of participation in the Obama campaign. The Obama stardom happened despite the fact that Senator John McCain has been the chair of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee (2005-2006) and served as a committee member from 1995 to 1997. McCain introduced a number of bills affecting Indians and he chaired the hearings on the Jack Abramoff bilking of $66 million from tribes (June, 2005).
Nevertheless, during the presidential campaign, it was Senator Barack Obama who garnered over 100 tribal chair and leader endorsements. McCain's campaign website had no pages relating to American Indians. Obama UTube items had so many Indian related entries that the dark side made a try for the eyeballs of interested viewers. Several "Indians against Obama" tidbits could (and can) be seen by anyone interested.
So now that the election is over and Obama has visited more Indian reservations than any presidential candidate since probably Bobbie Kennedy, what will happen to elevate the issues and visibility of America's smallest minority? Well, yesterday Obama appointed Wizipan Garriot as First Americans Public Liaison - a new position in the Obama transition team. Obama has underscored a "nation to nation" new relationship with tribes. Although no one is saying what this means, it is a step never taken before. There are now seven American Indians on the transition team: John Echohawk, Keith Harper, Robert Anderson, Mary Smith, Mary McNeil, and Yvette Robideaux.
All across Indian County the Secretary everyone wanted to hear about is Interior. That's the Secretary that handles the minerals, rocks, and trees, and oh, yes, all the relations with tribal nations. For about four decades there has been the occasional Assistant Secretary of Interior for Indian Affairs who has been an actual Indian. This time around, like some other nominations, the name being talked about is Kevin Gover. He took over following the resignation of Ada Deer in 1997.
This might not be such a bad proposition except that Gover was involved in Interior's refusal to cooperate with the now famous (in Indian Country) Corbell v Kempthorne class action lawsuit, filed June 10, 1996. Corbell wants the" federal government to account for billions of dollars belonging to approximately 500 thousand American Indians and their heirs, and held in trust since the late 19th century." Gover was in office in 1997 and is suspected of helping in the refusal to cooperate. Putting him back in office when the suit is not settled has several tribal nations more than upset.
With the Obama promise of a new nation to nation responsibility the president will undertake, tension has focused on the office of the Assistant Secretary of Interior for Indian Affairs. It may seem like something less than significant, but if the Corbell suit reaches a decision, more billions will surface in the public eye - and pocket book.