Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email.anca@anca.org
Internet

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
October 22, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA: OBAMA-BIDEN THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR ARMENIAN AMERICANS

— Nationwide Grassroots Organization Reaffirms Earlier Primary
Endorsement in January

— Expands on Nine Months of Nationwide Voter Mobilization to
Secure Obama-Biden Win on November 4th

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
today formalized its longstanding support for Barack Obama with an
official endorsement of the Obama-Biden campaign for the Presidency
of the United States.

"The Armenian National Committee of America is proud today to
formally announce our support for Barack Obama – whom we endorsed
this January in the Democratic Primary and have energetically
backed with sustained, grassroots voter mobilization for the past
nine months," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "Based on Senator
Obama’s strong record in office, his bold statements as a
candidate, and our judgment as to the types of policies he will
pursue as President, we believe that an Obama-Biden Administration
would be far better positioned than a McCain-Palin one to reflect
the views and values of the Armenian American community."

Barack Obama: The Choice for Change

In a powerful statement, issued on January 20th, Senator Obama
voiced his strong support for passage of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution and pledged that, as President, he would recognize the
Armenian Genocide. The Presidential hopeful also reaffirmed his
support for a strong "U.S.-Armenian relationship that advances our
common security and strengthens Armenian democracy." Unlike other
Democratic candidates, he also pledged to "promote Armenian
security by seeking an end to the Turkish and Azerbaijani
blockades, and by working for a lasting and durable settlement of
the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and
based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of
democracy and self determination."

The key elements of the Obama record that led to the ANCA
endorsement include the following:

* Public criticism of the Bush Administration for firing former
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans over his truthful remarks
recognizing the Armenian Genocide. He has publicly asserted that,
"An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort the
historical facts is an untenable policy."

* Strong support for the passage of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution currently before Congress, in his capacity as Chairman
of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs.

* A written pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide as President,
clearly spelling out his "firmly held conviction that the Armenian
Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of
view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an
overwhelming body of historical evidence. The facts are
undeniable."

* A commitment to ending the cycle of genocide. He has said, on
the record, that, "America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully
about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all
genocides. I intend to be that President."

* Letters to President Bush urging him to properly recognize the
Armenian Genocide and a record of defending that position, when
challenged. While visiting Azerbaijan in August 2005, in response
to media inquiries about why he signed these letters, Senator Obama
publicly defended his decision by stating that the Armenian
Genocide was a historical fact.

* Commitment to promoting Armenia’s security "by seeking an end to
the Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades."

* Support for "a lasting and durable settlement of the Nagorno
Karabagh conflict that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon
America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and
self determination."

Joe Biden: Leading Senate Advocate on Armenian American Concerns

For over three decades, Vice-Presidential Nominee Senator Joe Biden
has been a voice of moral clarity on issues of concern to the
Armenian American community including:

* Support for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, dating
back to his work with Senator Bob Dole to pass the Armenian
Genocide Resolution (S.J.Res.212) in 1990, and to promote stronger
U.S.-Armenia relations.

* Consistent support for Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act,
adopted in 1992, which restricted U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan due
to its ongoing blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

* Leadership in pressing the Administration to explain its firing
of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans and ensuring that future
nominees as U.S. Ambassador to Armenia and Turkey do not deny the
Armenian Genocide.

The McCain-Palin Campaign:

Throughout the primary and general election cycles, the ANCA
invited all of the major candidates – including Senator McCain – to
share their views on Armenian Americans issues and to comment on
both the growing relationship between the U.S. and Armenian
governments and the enduring bonds between the American and
Armenian peoples.

Senator McCain, in a letter to the ANCA this February and a follow
up open-letter to Armenian Americans in September of this year,
formally asked for the support of Armenian American voters, but
failed, in both instances, to outline his stands on core Armenian
American issues. In his letters, the Arizona Senator praised the
Armenian American contribution to American society, and Armenia’s
contribution to Coalition operations in Iraq and NATO peacekeeping
in Kosovo, but remained silent on Nagorno Karabagh, the Turkish and
Azerbaijani blockades, U.S. aid to Armenia, and the broader issue
of U.S.-Armenia relations. He did, as he has done over the years,
echo the Bush Administration’s practice of employing euphemistic
language such as "terrible tragedy" to avoid mentioning the
Armenian Genocide by its proper name.

Senator McCain has, throughout his tenure in the Congress, largely
opposed or was passively indifferent to a broad array of Armenian
American issues. As recently as October of last year, Senator
McCain publicly opposed Congressional recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. In 1999, he voted against restricting U.S. aid to
Azerbaijan over its blockades and other offensive uses of force
against Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. He voted against Senator Bob
Dole’s Armenian Genocide Resolution in 1990. Governor Sarah Palin
has no record on Armenian American concerns.

The Armenian American Vote:

Armenian Americans, in key battleground states and throughout the
country, represent a motivated and highly networked constituency of
more than one and a half million citizens. The ANCA mobilizes
Armenian American voters through a network of over 50 local
chapters and a diverse array of affiliates, civic advocates, and
supporters nationwide. ANCA mailings reach over a quarter of a
million homes and, with the addition of internet outreach, updates
and action alerts, reach well over 350,000 households. The ANCA
website, which features election coverage from an Armenian American
point of view, attracts over 100,000 unique visits a month. The
ANCA also has broad reach to Armenian American voters via a
sophisticated media operation of newspapers, regional cable shows,
satellite TV, blogs, and internet news sites.

Along with its presidential endorsement, the ANCA reminds Armenian
Americans that their ability to impact policy-level decision-making
depends, first and foremost, on the continued expansion of advocacy
efforts at all levels of government. The ANCA’s Congressional
endorsements represent an important element of this process by
providing Armenian American voters with the information they need
to solidify the strong, bipartisan support our community enjoys in
Congress.

ANCA Presidential endorsements are offered against the backdrop of
several decades of disappointing experiences, during which
Presidents, while running for office, have affirmed the Armenian
Genocide to win hearts and minds among Armenian American voters,
only to retreat from this recognition once in the White House and
then, in the case of each of the past four administrations, to
aggressively pressure the U.S. Congress from properly commemorating
the very same crime against humanity they once condemned as
candidates.

As always, the ANCA welcomes feedback on its service to the
Armenian American community. Please forward your thoughts and
suggestions about the 2008 Presidential election by email to
anca@anca.org.

#####

Note to the Editor: Please visit the ANCA website for additional
information on the ANCA Endorsement and the Presidential
candidates, as listed below.

Additional Materials:

To read Senator Obama’s pledges on Armenian Americans on his
official website:
ack_obama_on_the_importance.php

To read a 2-page summary of Senators Obama and Biden’s record of
support for Armenian American issues, visit:
n_record.pdf

To read a 2-page listing of the Bush-Cheney’s opposition to
Armenian American issues, visit:
y_record.pdf

To view/print an Obama/McCain comparison one-page, visit:
n.php

For information on Armenians for Obama visit:

To view Samantha Power’s YouTube video in support of Senator Obama,
visit:
XsV-Dg

To read "McCain’s Armenia Problem" in The Atlantic, visit:
nian-american-vote

To Read Sen. John McCain’s Letters to the Armenian Community,
visit:
es/press_releases.php?prid=1602

______________ _______________________
Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Communications Director
Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: anca@anca.org
Internet: