Which Way, L.A.?

California-s Minority Voters and Bush on Race

Since George Bush was elected President, Republicans have been talking about minority outreach, especially in California, where Bush lost big to Al Gore. The GOP has been banking on Bush to help them reach out to the growing numbers of black and Latino voters. When Trent Lott made -racially insensitive- comments, Bush-s outspoken criticism was a major reason for Lott-s removal from Senate leadership. But, now, the President has intervened against the University of Michigan-s affirmative action program in a case before the US Supreme Court. What will be the cumulative impact of Bush-s actions on the GOP-s minority outreach? We ask Hector Barajas, who-s directs minority outreach for the California Republican Party, Madison Shockley of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and Marcelo Gaete of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials Educational Fund. Reporter-s Notebook: OC Kid Chucks Immigrant Dream for India and the Dalai Lama A few years ago, Donald Pham was a gifted student in Orange County. The son of a dentist, he body surfed, played clarinet and Nintendo, and read science fiction. Today, he is Konchog "Kusho" Osel, the youngest monk at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, run by Tibetan exiles in India. The 16 year-old is also the subject of a four-part series by Teri Sforza that begins Sunday in the Orange County Register.