Thread by @reappropriate

Please join me here as I watch and tweet the 2020 AAPI PresidrTian Townhall by @apiavote. Stream here: facebook.com/nbcasianameric… #AAPITownhall #AAPI2020

Glad @ChristineChenDC @apiavote highlighted importance of down-ballot races. To learn more about progressive Asian Americans running for local elected office around the nation, please continue to follow my weekly series #AsianAmericansRun:

reappropriate.co/tag/asian-amer…

#AAPITownhall

Today, I'm looking to see whether @JoeBiden and Trump surrogate frmr Guam Gov. Eddie Calvo will talk about these issues: first and foremost, to comment about the Movement for Black Lives and the pressing need to end police violence and the mass incarceration state.

#AAPITownHall

Next, how will the candidates address anti-Asian racism, from decades of the State Department's racial profiling against foreign-born Asian American scientists (which persisted under Obama) to the rising trend of anti-Asian racial violence & hate crimes?

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

I will be looking for their ideas on immigration, and including a specific and explicit commitment to reverse/end/refuse to renew the current suspension of visas and green cards, as well as deportation relief for the undocumented.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

I will be looking for clear and comprehensive policy to address COVID-19 -- including comprehensive healthcare policy, funding for research, and broad economic relief. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

*--presidential. Wow autocorrect, what are you doing??

Biden opens with an attack Trump on his relationship with Putin, driven by this latest story by @NyTimes:

nytimes.com/2020/06/26/us/…

I appreciate this. Indefensible that this admin continues to not hold Russia accountable for election interference and other attacks.

#AAPITownHall

That being said, I also want to hear @JoeBiden address how his recent attack ads on Trump's relationship with China, and how Biden is competing to be 'harder on China', can be reconciled with the current climate of anti-Chinese hostility. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

It cannot be understated how influential WHIAAPI was under Obama. It was an incredible partnership between the White House and community advocates. I want to see WHIAAPI return the way it was under Obama. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

BREAKING: @JoeBiden says he will release his staff diversity data today, to inform voters about how POC are being included in the Biden campaign. Biden says that report will show that Asian Americans and other POC are in senior positions in his campaign. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@JoeBiden further commits that his cabinet and WH staff "will look like America". He commits to hiring non-white staff in senior leadership positions in his administration. #AAPITownhall #AAPI2020

"Words matter. The President's words matter even more" says @JoeBiden, criticizing Trump for how he has stoked racial hate of Asian Americans in the context of COVID.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@JoeBiden promises to restart and expand the AAPI-facing White House initiatives begun under Obama. Yes. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

I'm so glad @JoeBiden talked about a need for a fundamental change in how we view the criminal justice system. We need transformative, restorative -- not punitive -- justice. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

On Day 1 in office, @JoeBiden commits to putting in place a "roadmap to citizenship" for undocumented immigrants. Nearly 1.5 million Asian American are undocumented. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@JoeBiden commits to end/not continue Trump's suspension of H-1B visas. This is so crucial. ~80% of H1B visa holders are from India and China. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

Just taking a minute to send kudos out to
@IAmAmnaNawaz @VickyNguyenTV
for the incredible, powerful questions at this year's #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020.

Asian American women, representing.

@JoeBiden reminds us that many Asian American small businesses are cash businesses, and have a harder time accessing COVID Paycheck Protection Program funds, much of which didn't end up in the hands of small business owners.

#AAPITownhall #AAPI2020

@JoeBiden commits under his administration to more relief for small business owners affected by COVID. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@JoeBiden says his administration will expand language access to ACA healthcare, and notes that many WH materials are still only available in English. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

Wow. @JoeBiden is also making a powerful argument for data justice and the need for disaggregation of Asian American education and healthcare data. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@JoeBiden finishes his time with #AAPITownhall and I have to say that he was really powerful.

He clearly prepared for this debate, took it very seriously, and addressed nuanced issues within the AAPI community.

#AAPI2020

Now on to Trump surrogate former Governor of Guam Eddie Baza Calvo. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

Trump surrogate opens with a factual inaccuracy. He claims that "Kung Flu" originated under Obama. It did not.

Coronavirus is a novel virus. The term was not used to racialize a virus prior to Trump/conservative usage in the last year.

This does not bode well. #AAPITownhall

Gov. Calvo also claims that Trump admin will be diverse because both he and Elaine Chao are there.

That is... not a commitment to diversity.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

Governor Calvo says we should look not just at Trump's words, but also his actions. By that standard, how has Trump's actions to address COVID-19 lend confidence that he is taking this issue seriously?

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

Governor Calvo is also counting the number of POC in the Trump administration. He counts himself, Elaine Chao, and Ben Carson.

Diversity, y'all.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

Gov. Calvo says he represents the diversity of the Trump administration which he says will grow under the second term, and says he may be part of the new Trump cabinet. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

I... think Gov. Calvo is crediting Trump for ending the North Korea nuclear missile program? Which is... untrue.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

OK, so one thing that is absolutely true that Gov. Calvo is saying is that the US basically ignores the citizens of the territories, who also don't have many basic citizenship rights. This is true of presidential administrations from both parties.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@governorcalvo says that Trump sees people, not skin colour. He then fails to answer a question about how Trump will address systemic racism and racial violence, instead highlighting school reform and Pell grants.

#AAPITownhall #AAPI2020

@governorcalvo further says that systemic racism may be best addressed at the state and local level. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@governorcalvo says in relation to BLM protesters that leaders of large cities and Joe Biden supporters have "blood on their hands... for decades and centuries" due to Democratic corruption and high crime rates. This was a racist dogwhistle, guys.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

Community question from Detroit's Association for Chinese Americans asks about Asian American healthcare access and further highlights racial violence issue in context of anniversary of Vincent Chin murder. Let's hear what @governorcalvo has to say? #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@governorcalvo says Trump is protecting patient's with pre-existing conditions, which is untrue. The Trump administration is dismantling the Affordable Care Act, which created those protections for patients.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

nytimes.com/2020/01/13/ups…

Let's also challenge Trump's initiative to empower risky studies of unapproved drugs by private pharma. This is a highly dangerous run-around of FDA regulations, that will serve to undermine drug regulations that protect clinical trial participants. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

"Trump opted not to come, and not to send a video message." Instead he went golfing today.

It is clear that Trump doesn't value the AAPI electorate. At all. He sent a totally non-serious surrogate.

@IAmAmnaNawaz

@governorcalvo says Trump admin chose to send him instead of Trump because Calvo is part of the Asian and PI community. But, Calvo was also non-serious, didn't appear to prep for this debate, and didn't seem familiar with the issues. This was a slap in the face. #AAPITownHall

@governorcalvo goes on to low-key insult the debate by saying that it's being held online, "hidden in a basement", whereas Trump is out at rallies where he sees "real" Asian Americans.
#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

"Have confidence in President Trump. He appointed me -- an Asian and Pacific Islander -- as a surrogate. He will remember us." - @governorcalvo
#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@governorcalvo is asked about how AAPI will be included in the economic recovery plan following COVID. Calvo responds by reflecting on what he knows about the Hmong American community, because question asker self-identified as Hmong. #AAPITownhall

I'm sorry, but: it was an insult that the Trump administration chose to send a totally non-serious surrogate to the #AAPITownhall. In 2016, he also sent a surrogate, who rapped at the end of his time. He doesn't give a crap abt us. (HT @DorisTruong)

https://twitter.com/DorisTruong/status/1276971266507968512?s=20

Meanwhile, President Trump is reportedly not only on a golfing trip but literally has found time to go on a Twitter rampage right now.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

@governorcalvo repeats Trump admin line that CBP should be strengthened to stop criminals and drug traffickers (which is more racist dogwhistling). He says Trump will prioritize bringing in high-skilled immigrants, which is contradicted by H visa suspension. #AAPITownHall

"We just got the level of H2 workers back to what it was," says @governorcalvo, highlighting the importance of skilled and unskilled immigrants.

Trump just suspended H and J visas until December.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

"President's number one goal is to get merit-based immigration back," says Calvo. Immediately contradicts himself by saying that Trump's number one priority is to get American unemployment rate to zero, before ending suspension of work visas. #AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

OK, the #AAPITownhall is basically over. So impressed by @IAmAmnaNawaz @VickyNguyenTV who held it down as moderators.

@JoeBiden took this event seriously. The Trump campaign clearly did not. That tells you a lot of what you need to know for November.

#AAPITownHall #AAPI2020

Also many thanks to all the organizers of #AAPITownhall including @APIAVote @CAAM and others. This was a very well-run event, and valuable for the AAPI electorates in distinguishing these two candidates prior to November's election.

#AAPI2020

*overstated, not understated.