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WASHINGTON – President Obama tried to assure American Indians on Thursday they have a place in his White House and on his agenda, telling tribal leaders their marginalized community deserves more from its government.
“I get it. I’m on your side,” Obama told the largest gathering of tribal leaders in U.S. history.
Obama opened a conference that drew leaders from 386 tribal nations – the first meeting of its kind in 15 years – and he ordered every Cabinet agency to take more steps toward more cooperation.
Obama’s outreach comes as American Indians remain entrenched in a class-action lawsuit against the federal government, claiming the government has long swindled them out of land royalties.
Obama said he didn’t blame tribal leaders for skepticism about another politician offering hopeful words. But he said he has no interest in going through the motions of just holding a summit with them.
The president told his audience that he was like them: an “outsider” who grew up without a father, moved around a lot and understood what it was like to struggle and be ignored.
“You will not be forgotten as long as I’m in this White House,” Obama said to a sustained ovation.
