Inaugural Events Show Minority Support of GOP

Mario Castillo surveyed the members of his gala dinner table on Wednesday night and grumbled, “I think I’m the only Democrat here.”

So why was Castillo, a Washington-based lawyer, attending the Hispanic American Inaugural Ball to celebrate the incoming Republican President? “I wanted to see what the competition was doing,” he said. “And they’re doing damn well.”

That praise was echoed by Republicans and Democrats at the half a dozen or so events this week hosted by minority groups as part of the week’s inaugural festivities. Besides the galas, blacks, Latinos, Asian-Americans and Native-American inaugural committees and special-interest groups have planned prayer breakfasts, luncheons, receptions and awards presentations.

Heralding the new Administration and President George Bush is just one of the priorities at the events, where networking also is an important chore. Democrats, independents and even nonpolitical types are attending the inaugural events, checking out the competition as well as making those once-every-four-years contacts.

“I was wondering why we lost the election,” Castillo said as he picked up a program for the Hispanic ball and flipped through the pages. “Now I know. Look at these names! They’re organizing ! The (GOP) went after the upwardly mobile Hispanics.”

Acceptable Language

Castillo, former staff chief for the House Agriculture Committee, wasn’t even offended by Bush’s campaign reference to his half-Latino grandchildren as the “little brown ones.” Castillo said he felt Latinos hadn’t perceived that remark as racist.

“That’s a term of endearment,” he said. “My mother used to call me ‘the little black one’ because I was darker than my brothers and sisters. What Bush did was reach out to the Hispanics.”

Castillo said he was worried about the Democratic Party’s future. “And I’m not even a politician,” he said. “My father’s a Democrat and he voted for Bush. I don’t know,” he added with a shrug. “These people are in for the long run. But we have four years.”

As mariachis played on stage in the ballroom of the Washington Hilton on Wednesday night, Los Angeles businessman David Lizarraga made his way through the crowd of 1,500, shaking hands and talking with friends. This Democrat also had praise for the new Administration.

“Bush has appointed two Hispanic cabinet members and that has to be recognized and applauded,” Lizarraga said, referring to Education Secretary Lauro Cavazos and Interior Secretary-designate Manuel Lujan, both of whom were at the gala, also attended by the President’s son, Jeb Bush, and his wife, Columba.

Of George Bush, Lizarraga said: “He’s my President now, and he’s going to be a do-er President. . . . He’s really embracing people all over the country, and the fact is, he attracted a great percentage of the Democratic vote.”

Although blacks and Latinos overwhelmingly voted for Michael Dukakis in the last election, some minority group members in the Republican Party are convinced that Democrats will see their party lose its luster.

Traditional Family Values

“I think (they) are going to see that with the Bush Administration, Democrats don’t have anything to offer,” said Willie Durazo, president of a service corporation in San Diego. “The (GOP ideology) is a lot closer to our culture, in terms of family, religion, community and taking care of our own.”

Ninfa Laurenzo, a Houston restaurateur, added: “I think we have all come of age and we have to make a choice. I believe in free enterprise--I’m a businesswoman.”

Across town, where the Asian Pacific American Presidential Inaugural Ball was under way, 1,000 or so guests dined on traditional buffet food and danced to big band music at the Willard-Intercontinental Hotel.

“I think this is a good function for people to network,” said Robert Hsueh, a Dallas lawyer. “And not just on a domestic level, but international, as well. There are foreign business delegations and dignitaries here, people from the Republic of China, Korea, Thailand.”

The ball offered a rare chance for guests to mingle, chat and polish contacts, said Hsueh, who added: “This is a nonpartisan event. There is no strong political tone.”

But the issue of cabinet appointments was a “touchy” one, noted Hsueh, a member of the Asian American Outreach Committee appointed by Bush to scout for qualified applicants to serve in the new Administration.

“I’m glad to see he has appointed an outreach committee,” Hsueh said of the President. And though there have been no Asian-American appointments yet by the new Administration, he said he remains “hopeful. It’s not that we don’t have qualified applicants.”

At the ballroom entrance, Jeanne Lin, 24, was at the ticket reservation table looking over receipts, hoping to make it into the party before it was over.

Lin--a law school student from Potomac, Md., and a member of the Federation of Young Asian American Republicans--said her interest in politics was sparked by her parents. But she noted: “There are not a lot of Asian-Americans, especially women, involved in politics. Maybe my generation will change that.”

Working Your Way Up

Lin found it easy to see the GOP’S attraction for Asian-Americans. “There are many similarities with the Asian ideology,” she said. “In my opinion, those who come over as immigrants work very hard to earn money and work their way up. And my image of the Republican Party is that you make your way up in society, and work very hard.”

The American Indian Inaugural Committee holds its ball tonight at the Washington Plaza Hotel, promising traditional dances as well as a Country-Western band for 1,000 guests.

The gala’s purpose, said Mitchell Bush, president of the American Indian Society, is to “Celebrate the continuing relationship of the American Indian with the United States. . . . It’s also an opportunity for tribal leaders to meet, and for lesser-known tribes to make themselves known.”

Suzan Shown Harjo remains “cautiously optimistic” about the new Administration.

Harjo, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians, a lobbying group, added, “Certainly the new President is smart and issue-oriented. For Indian issues, I think that will bode well because we will have a better opportunity to have our issues be given serious consideration.”

Prayer Breakfast

The week’s inaugural events began Monday with an ecumenical prayer breakfast in celebration of the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. That event was hosted by the American Bicentennial Presidential Inaugural Afro-American Committee. The committee also hosted a business awards luncheon and awards dinner. (Among the honorees at the latter event was Myrlie Evers, Los Angeles City Board of Public Works commissioner.)

Thaddeus Garrett Jr. is co-chairman of that group, which also sponsors of an awards luncheon and dinner this week.

“I think the prayer breakfast symbolized Bush’s intention to be president of all the people,” said Garrett, president of a Washington-based economic trade development consulting firm.

Why are some of his Democrat friends attending the events? “I think they recognize first that we won the election, and second they are responding to Bush’s open door.”

Garrett is thrilled with Bush’s appointments of blacks to Cabinet and other posts. “That’s not being done under a Democrat,” he said. “Actions speak louder than words, and you can’t help but receive that as George Bush meaning business.”