by Jason Salas, KUAM News Saturday, April 26, 2008 Subscribe to Jason's newsfeed   E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

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All eyes will be on Guam over the next week or so as local Democrats hold a historic caucus on May 3. The island's nine delegate votes are crucial to that party's presidential nominees, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. KUAM News spoke with Senator Clinton via satellite earlier today, to inquire the candidate's stance on several issues facing our quality of life and her plans to integrate the island community into her goals if elected our nation's next commander-in-chief.

When noting how the U.S. Department of Defense is currently looking to increase its presence locally, citing that thousands of U.S. Marines and their dependents be transitioned from Okinawa, along with Air Force and Navy personnel and equipment to local military installations, we asked the Democrat senator from New York if elected president, would she continue with this current initiative put forth by the Bush Administration? "I think it makes a lot of sense," she responded. "Obviously I will review it, but I feel strongly that moving more of our assets to Guam is in the best interests of the people of Guam and of the United States."

The process of survivors and their families of being compensated for their wartime suffering has been a decades-long wait for the community, often spanning generations of Chamorros. Clinton has previously stated her strong support for such the granting of reparations, but repeated efforts to achieve this endeavor have fallen on deaf ears in Washington. Of this very painful oversight, she said, "I think sometimes it takes unfortunately longer than it should to educate people about the justice of a cause like war reparations, or for the people of Guam that suffered under the Japanese occupation during World War II. Just yesterday I rushed to the Senate to vote on behalf of giving the benefits that were promised during World War II to the Filipino veterans who served with American forces. All these years later, we still haven't done it - all these years later we still haven't provided the reparations that the people of Guam were promised.

"As your president I will work very hard to remedy this injustice. I am committed to doing so."

We also briefly discussed the role of Guamanians in voting for a United States president (more accurately, the lack thereof). As it's so often said that there's no other place where you will find more patriotic "Americans than in the Land Where America's Day Begins", Clinton said she stands behind empowering all Americans, island residents included, with this very basic privilege. "It seems to me that it is long past time that we remedy this inequity," she explained. "It doesn't reflect American values; it is out of step with the move towards equality and full citizenship rights, and I will do everything I can to make sure the people of Guam's vote are counted."

Drawing on the past, KUAM News noted how Ms. Clinton's husband, former president Bill Clinton, during his historic 1998 visit to Guam mentioned his support on issues like self-determination, the return of federal excess lands back to original landowners, and increasing Guam's share in Compact impact funding. "I intend to follow-up on those commitments because I share them," she said. "Unfortunately at the time we had a Republican congress that was not very receptive. And until just last year we still had a Republican congress. It's difficult to push through some of these initiatives, but as president I hope that I will have more Democrats in the Congress, and I will work with your representative to make sure that we finally give the people of Guam the support, and the rights and privileges that I think you're entitled to have. So I'm looking forward to having your support, I'm excited about participating in the events on April 26 and May 3."

Clinton also took a moment to appeal to her fellow countrymen, saying, "I earnestly and humbly ask for the support of the people of Guam. I will never forget my visit in 1995 - it was a wonderful experience and I was excited to tell my husband how important for him to go to Guam. And indeed he was there in 1998, and we both have very fond memories of Guam and of the people there.

"And I hope that I will earn your support to be your president."

Stream or download video of KUAM's interview with Senator Clinton