A Hero’s Welcome for McCain in Little Saigon

John McCain got a hero’s welcome in Little Saigon on Wednesday night, where a crowd of nearly 3,000 turned out to hear the Republican presidential candidate ask for votes from Californians.

McCain, who was held prisoner for 5 1/2 years during the Vietnam War, thanked the Vietnamese community for fighting communism and said his sacrifice paled against that of South Vietnamese soldiers who were jailed and tortured in their homeland.

“These are our enduring examples of the human spirit in surviving the most challenging circumstances,” he said, acknowledging several South Vietnamese veterans who stood beside him at the podium. “In their company I am humbled.”

McCain spoke for 20 minutes outside the Asian Gardens Mall, a Westminster landmark. He touched on several familiar themes: his calls to reform campaign finance and increase military spending, and criticism of China for threatening the sovereignty of Taiwan.

The largest crowd response came during his heartfelt thanks to those who fought with him as soldiers in Vietnam. “My experiences with you were the defining period of my life,” he said.

At the end of the speech, the air was filled with fluttering yellow and red streamers, the colors of the Vietnamese flag before the communist takeover.

McCain did not address the controversy earlier this year when he drew fire from minority groups for referring to his captors during the war as “gooks.” A campaign spokesman said the candidate “has said all he’s going to say about it.”

McCain has said he used the epithet to describe only his captors, who beat him nearly to death during his incarceration.

Some political observers said the harsh term cast McCain as intolerant. Such a label could hurt him in areas where he has shown strength in other states--among minority groups, Democrats and independent voters.

The crowd at Wednesday night’s rally was overwhelmingly supportive and enthusiastic though.

“He’s a hero,” said Nhi Le, 22, of Huntington Beach. “My opinion is that he said it when he was really angry. He didn’t mean it for all of the Vietnamese.”

Said Phong Nguyen, 40, of Irvine: “If you put yourself in his shoes, when they tortured him . . . what would you say? He just showed his anger, not discrimination.”

Campaign organizers said McCain was planning to visit Orange County--with a stop in Little Saigon--before his remarks about his Vietnamese captors were publicized.

“John McCain is running for president to reform government, and there’s no better audience for reforming government than people who have fled communism for a better life,” spokesman Alfie Charles said.

The rally drew about 30 protesters, most of them in their early 20s, who carried signs accusing the candidate of racism and chanting “No McCain!” They were quickly shouted down by the crowd, though, after a brief confrontation and scuffle in which one person was arrested.

Some said they still want to hear an explanation from the candidate.

Ginger Nguyen, 24, said she and many of her friends “were extremely offended by that word. . . . He’s lost my vote and a lot of other people’s votes.”

Nguyen, a student at Orange Coast College, said voters would immediately reject a candidate who used a similar term to describe another racial group.

“If he used the N-word . . . every single black person would jump on him, and he wouldn’t be running,” she said.

California is critical for any Republican presidential hopeful, and winning big in Orange County is a key component to victory. Though GOP registration has dropped to just below 50%, the county still can deliver large Republican vote margins to counterbalance Democratic majorities elsewhere in the state.

Little Saigon has been a regular stopover for GOP campaigns because of the party’s strength in the Vietnamese community. The Asian Gardens Mall is a particular favorite because its distinctive architecture makes a picturesque backdrop.

Polls have shown Bush leading handily among Republicans, whose votes will be the only ones counted to determine which candidate gets the state’s 162 national convention delegates. Whoever wins will collect all of the delegates--nearly one-sixth of the total needed to win the nomination.

The Los Angeles Times poll released this week showed Bush leading McCain by 47% to 26% among California Republicans. Among all voters, Vice President Al Gore led with 33%, followed by Bush with 26% and McCain with 20%.

Times correspondent Thuy-Doan Le and staff writer David Haldane contributed to this report.