Tribes applaud White House presence

Jake Henshaw • Desert Sun Sacramento Bureau • November 24, 2008

SACRAMENTO — When Barack Obama becomes president, Native Americans will have their own adviser in the White House, the president-elect's office confirmed Friday.

Obama spokesman Reid Cherlin said Obama plans to establish an Advisor on Native American Policy on his senior White House staff.

Richard Milanovich, chairman of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians in Palm Springs, said the incoming president had discussed his plans with tribal leaders during a campaign meeting in New Mexico.

‘‘He said he was going to have a tribal person in that position so they could directly communicate on tribal issues,'' Milanovich said.

That was good news to Patrick Dorinson, spokesman for the Morongo Tribe of Mission Indians.

‘‘I think for tribes to have a liaison in the White House shows that President-elect Obama wants to reach out to all sectors of America,'' Dorinson said.

One issue on the minds of some tribal leaders is the interest of unions in authorization of so-called ‘‘card check'' to organize workers.

This approach allows organizers to collect enough signatures over time from workers to reach a majority who want to form a labor union for collective bargaining.

Unions have pushed the issue in the California Legislature as well as Congress, with tribes such as the Agua Caliente in opposition.

Unions argue that card check make organizing fairer by reducing the influence of business, casino and other employers over workers, while opponents counter that it undermines the secret ballot.

‘‘He got so much support from unions,'' Milanovich said of Obama in the election. ‘‘He owes them a lot.''

At the same time, the Agua Caliente chairman said he is pleased that Obama has selected former Senate leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., to be secretary of Health and Human Services.

‘‘Sen. Daschle has naturally been a very good friend to Indian people because of where he is from,'' said Milanovich, who expects Daschle to help pass Indian healthcare legislation that has been stalled in Congress.

Milanovich also cited as a good sign for tribes that Obama in the Senate broke with the Congressional Black Caucus over the issue of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma's treatment of descendants of freed slaves.

The Black Caucus wanted to block funding for the tribe because of its efforts to deny membership to the so-called Freedmen. But Obama argued that Congress shouldn't get involved but instead allow a pending court case on the issue to be completed, according to Associated Press reports at the time.

‘‘Indians saw that the president-elect's stance on this issue was thoughtful (and) it wasn't a kneejerk response,'' said Mike Miller, spokesman for the Cherokee Nation. He said the case is still in court.

‘‘He is very aware of tribal sovereignty and what it means,'' Milanovich said of Obama.