More on Asian Americans in state Cabinets

It seems that current Virginia Governor Tim Kaine continued a smart practice of his predecessor Mark Warner (a former top contender for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination until he dropped out.) He has numerous Asian Americans in top Cabinet and sub-CAbinet positions, based upon this article in Asian Fortune on who Kaine is bringing with him on an Indian trade tour: "Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra, Deputy Secretary of Finance Manju Ganeriwala, Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Trade Vivek Kundra."

Jennifer Granholm, the first female (and Canadian!) governor of Michigan, nominated Teresa Takai as the first woman and Asian American to head the Department of Information and Technology.

Regular readers know that my current obsession with Gubernatorial cabinet members results from newly-elected Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer's lack of any Asian American appointees, given that these are two of the most supposedly progressive states in the country, with the highest Asian American populations. I mean, Michigan's executive is beating you on this point, and Asian Americans only make up 2.2% of the population in Michigan, a figure lower than the national average. I don't understand why these two executives in NY and Ma who represent so much promise and change, fail to capitalize on that promise by appointing well-qualified Asian Americans.

Aaaargh.