Obama Office Opens up in Guam

Obama HQ opens in Guam capitol
by Ronna Sweeney, KUAM News
Sunday, April 13, 2008

Democrat presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama's Hagatna campaign headquarters officially opened up this afternoon. Never before has anyone hoping to become a presidential nominee for their respective political party ever set up official headquarters on Guam. But with the current race between senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Obama so tight, every delegate vote counts.

Guam campaign director for Obama for America Josh Tenorio told KUAM News, "The opening of our office definitely gives them a pipeline for direct information from us so that they know what kind of things are valuable, important and necessary for Guam to have from the federal government." The outcome of the delegate caucus on Guam, Tenorio states, determines what percentage of preference the island Democrats have for Obama versus Clinton.

That's why he adds it's such a critical time, with each candidate wanting all nine of Guam's delegate votes. "As the days and weeks go by I fully expect that both camps are going to be making sincere committed pledges to help resolve longstanding issues on Guam in which the presidency and federal government are involved", Tenorio added. "So issues of the war reparations and the military buildup."

Tenorio says local volunteers are running the bulk of Obama's Guam Office, like Carlo Dizon. Though originally from Guam, he was working in a law firm in China when he first started following the Obama campaign. So when he heard an office was opening up on Guam, Dizon decided to return home to support it. "In terms of the island, it just puts us on the map," he shared. "I think unlike any other election in the past and also as a young person I feel it's an extraordinary opportunity whether or not you support Senator Obama's platform or issues that being involved in a presidential campaign is something. I don't know if it's something I can do in my lifetime."

Tenorio says they're in search of more volunteers, so if you're interested in helping out you're urged to call 477-2000. The Obama Campaign Headquarters are located on the ground level of the Captain Building in Hagatna.