Score One for NYC

Elizabeth Benjamin, New York Daily News:
Just when it looked like New York would be locked out of the presidential election entirely comes this news: 1199 SEIU political wizard Patrick Gaspard has been named national political director of Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign.

From the Obama campaign press release:
“Gaspard replaces outgoing Political Director Matt Nugen, who Senator Obama appointed earlier this month to oversee the Democratic National Convention in Denver. “

“This election offers a clear choice between John McCain’s agenda for continuing the failed policies of George W. Bush, and Barack Obama’s vision for change,” Gaspard said. “I am proud to be a part of this campaign, and I look forward to working to bring people together across the country to elect Barack Obama.”

For a while there, 2008 looked like New York’s year. We had ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani riding high, Sen. Hillary Clinton looking like a sure thing and even Mayor Bloomberg floating about in the wings, thinking about a third-party run. One by one, we lost them all, and it seemed New York was going to have to sit this one out.

Enter Gaspard. He was the executive vp of politics and legislation for 1199 — SEIU’s powerhouse local — when it endorsed Clinton in December. That was then. His move to the Obama campaign finally gives us a favorite son to watch…

Courtney McCleod, writing for City Hall News, introduced many to Patrick in 2006:

Patrick Gaspard says political activism is a Haitian birthright. Gaspard’s involvement with 1199, regarded as one of the most powerful unions in the state, dates back to 1988 and Jesse Jackson’s presidential bid. The next year he worked closely with the union to elect David Dinkins, the first black mayor in the city’s history. More campaigns followed: in 1999, Gaspard was working as Council member Margarita Lopez’s chief of staff when Amadou Diallo was shot and killed by police officers in the Bronx. The union was one of the central organizers of the civil disobedience that followed, and 1199 President Dennis Rivera and then-Political Director Bill Lynch asked Gaspard to coordinate those efforts. A position in the political department followed.
Now he is concentrating on 1199’s national campaign to help the Democrats take the House and Senate. Gaspard sees the potential for change – but only if there is agitation. That, he says, is where he comes in.
What is the most important thing you have accomplished so far?
“Raising two children of color in America.”
Two years from now, what do you want to have done?
“That’s the easiest question I’ve ever been asked – I want to begin to repair the imbalance in the Supreme Court by electing a Democratic President.”

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 21st, 2008 at 9:07 pm and is filed under presidential. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.