Campaign for Senator Bob Dole, 1988
Esther was appointed by then the majority leader Senator Dole to serve on the Congressional Commission for the Study of International Migration and Cooperative Economic Development, 1987-1990. This was considered as a sub-cabinet level appointment. There were 10 members appointed by congressional leaders: six by senate majority and minority leaders and four by House leaders; two were women. There were all prominent public figures, either elected or appointed. It was considered by Esther as a miracle to be appointed by Senator Dole, who did not know Esther at all
Esther first learned of the opening of this congressional commission from Rudy M. Beserra, a White House Public Liaison officer, who was very supportive of Asian American leaders. One day, Esther dropped by his office before returning to Houston. He told Esther that there would be a high level commission on immigration just approved by the Congress and that she should seek the appointment. Later, he informed Esther that the appointment was not presidential and he could not help. He advised her to seek the appointment via congressional leaders. Since Esther did not know any of them she had to get help via her Republican Party network. Her friend, Josephine Wang, introduced her to a young aide, Brain, in Senator Dole’s office. From him, Esther learned of the name of Senator Dole’s right-hand man, Ann Coe, who was in charge of the appointment. In order to meet Brian during my short visit in Washington, DC, Josephine and I had to hitchhike from Omni Shoran Hotel to downtown and get a taxi to Arlington, VA in a snowstorm. To express her appreciation of Josephine’s support, Esther asked Josephine to represent her at the press conference when the commission was formally introduced by Senators Edward Kennedy and Alan Simpson to the media in Washington, DC.
It took about one year to appoint the commission members. Esther submitted her credentials to Ann Coe but did not expect much due to the competition. Esther was shocked when Ann Coe called, “I think you’d like to hear this news . . . ” Esther was the only Asian American and one of the two women appointed to this prestigious and high stakes commission. This experience gave Esther tremendous opportunity to learn and serve the country on several overseas missions. She traveled with other members to Caribbean and Central and South American nations in addition to various site visits and public hearings. It enhanced her personal and professional development immensely.
It was not an easy decision for Esther to support Senator Dole’s presidential campaign in Texas during the primary in 1988. Naturally, all her GOP friends in Texas supported their native son, George H. Bush. Nevertheless, Esther chose sides based on Senator Dole’s recognition of Asian American’s contribution to the USA. In fact, he had the same open attitude toward other minority groups as well that could be easily found in his speeches. Esther knew that Senator Dole could not win in TX to carry all the delegates, but she determined to do her best.
She galvanized people in the largest county in TX – Harris County. She organized them by precinct and ethnic backgrounds. She even recruited a young lawyer named Al Gonzales who later became the White House Consul and appointed by President W. Bush to be the Attorney General in 2005. She was so committed to Senator Dole’s campaign that she even tried going door to door to get voters out until the voting place closed. Because of her support of Dole against Bush during the 1988 primary, she was not awarded with a good appointment with the Bush administration later. However, she accepted the consequence without any regret.
Later, Senator Dole’s wife, Elizabeth Dole was appointed by President George H. Bush as the Secretary of Labor. She did recognize Esther’s contribution to her husband’s campaign in Texas and considered her for an appointment in her department. However, when she consulted two Chinese American woman activists in Washington, DC she did not get a complete support from one of them. This same person also sabotaged another potential appointment with the Interior Department even though Esther had always respected her as a mentor.
As of May 24, 2010
Esther was appointed by then the majority leader Senator Dole to serve on the Congressional Commission for the Study of International Migration and Cooperative Economic Development, 1987-1990. This was considered as a sub-cabinet level appointment. There were 10 members appointed by congressional leaders: six by senate majority and minority leaders and four by House leaders; two were women. There were all prominent public figures, either elected or appointed. It was considered by Esther as a miracle to be appointed by Senator Dole, who did not know Esther at all
Esther first learned of the opening of this congressional commission from Rudy M. Beserra, a White House Public Liaison officer, who was very supportive of Asian American leaders. One day, Esther dropped by his office before returning to Houston. He told Esther that there would be a high level commission on immigration just approved by the Congress and that she should seek the appointment. Later, he informed Esther that the appointment was not presidential and he could not help. He advised her to seek the appointment via congressional leaders. Since Esther did not know any of them she had to get help via her Republican Party network. Her friend, Josephine Wang, introduced her to a young aide, Brain, in Senator Dole’s office. From him, Esther learned of the name of Senator Dole’s right-hand man, Ann Coe, who was in charge of the appointment. In order to meet Brian during my short visit in Washington, DC, Josephine and I had to hitchhike from Omni Shoran Hotel to downtown and get a taxi to Arlington, VA in a snowstorm. To express her appreciation of Josephine’s support, Esther asked Josephine to represent her at the press conference when the commission was formally introduced by Senators Edward Kennedy and Alan Simpson to the media in Washington, DC.
It took about one year to appoint the commission members. Esther submitted her credentials to Ann Coe but did not expect much due to the competition. Esther was shocked when Ann Coe called, “I think you’d like to hear this news . . . ” Esther was the only Asian American and one of the two women appointed to this prestigious and high stakes commission. This experience gave Esther tremendous opportunity to learn and serve the country on several overseas missions. She traveled with other members to Caribbean and Central and South American nations in addition to various site visits and public hearings. It enhanced her personal and professional development immensely.
It was not an easy decision for Esther to support Senator Dole’s presidential campaign in Texas during the primary in 1988. Naturally, all her GOP friends in Texas supported their native son, George H. Bush. Nevertheless, Esther chose sides based on Senator Dole’s recognition of Asian American’s contribution to the USA. In fact, he had the same open attitude toward other minority groups as well that could be easily found in his speeches. Esther knew that Senator Dole could not win in TX to carry all the delegates, but she determined to do her best.
She galvanized people in the largest county in TX – Harris County. She organized them by precinct and ethnic backgrounds. She even recruited a young lawyer named Al Gonzales who later became the White House Consul and appointed by President W. Bush to be the Attorney General in 2005. She was so committed to Senator Dole’s campaign that she even tried going door to door to get voters out until the voting place closed. Because of her support of Dole against Bush during the 1988 primary, she was not awarded with a good appointment with the Bush administration later. However, she accepted the consequence without any regret.
Later, Senator Dole’s wife, Elizabeth Dole was appointed by President George H. Bush as the Secretary of Labor. She did recognize Esther’s contribution to her husband’s campaign in Texas and considered her for an appointment in her department. However, when she consulted two Chinese American woman activists in Washington, DC she did not get a complete support from one of them. This same person also sabotaged another potential appointment with the Interior Department even though Esther had always respected her as a mentor.
As of May 24, 2010