OC Political

Joe Garofoli from the San Francisco Chronicle snagged the first on-camera media interview with Young Kim after she announced her candidacy for the 65th Assembly District.  The interview is posted on Young Kim’s official Assembly campaign web site and the San Francisco Chronicle web site as part of a Chronicle article entitled, “‘I will kick her butt’ promises GOP Assembly candidate. Oh, it’s on (VIDEO).”

Here is the video of that interview:

Greg Diamond at the Orange Juice Blog published a complete transcript of the video for those of you who’d rather read the interview than watch it:

[TRANSCRIPT by Orange Juice Blog Transcriptions Services.

Orange Juice Blog Transcriptionists: “For when you Karen Huff to sin the furry vest”]

SFC: OK, we’re here at the Republican convention here in Anaheim.  I’m with Young Kim, and she is running for the Assembly District in Orange County.  And again — a bit of unusual candidate.  When I was at your intro the other day, several people said: … she’s … KOREAN!  She’s a woman!  She’s a Republican!  That’s, like, an unusual thing.  But you say this is also a political advantage — that’s why you were recruited, too.  Tell us about that.

YK: Yes.  The 65th Assembly District represents the north and west Orange County.

SFC: Yeah.  [Note: further mm-hmms and such omitted.]

YK: Fullerton, Buena Park, La [Palma], Cypress, Stanton, and West Anaheim.  It is traditionally a very conservative district.  The current State Assemblywoman, Sharon Quirk-Silva, did not win that seat.  Unfortunately the Republican lost it in the last election cycle, but it was a bad year for all Republicans.  Now, having said that, that win for Sharon Quirk-Silva gave the State Legislature a 2/3 supermajority.  That is bad for us in Orange County, especially when the district, in the last redistricting cycle, has turned into 1/3 Asian, 1/3 Hispanic, 1/3 Caucasian.  She’s Hispanic; I’m Asian.  She’s Latina Democrat; I’m Asian Republican.  She’s a woman; I’m a woman.

OK.  She had the advantage of being a minority, a woman, and she went after our former State Assemblyman, Chris Norby, but she doesn’t have all the flaws that they went after him against Young Kim, because I don’t have any flaws.

SFC:  [Starts cracking up laughing.]

YK:  I am going to infiltrate into Sharon Quirk-Silva’s comfort zone — and I’m going to take her voters away.

SFC:  And what is her “comfort zone”?  What do you say –

YK:  Woman!  Minority!  She’s not going to claim all those to her benefit, because I am going after the minority group that is hugely popular, Asian Americans — they come out and vote!  Unlike the Hispanics.

SFC:  Right.

YK:  They will contribute to a candidate they believe is the best shot at getting that seat back — and that Asian Americans will do that.  They have already proven that, for me, in a short period of time, in two fundraisers, I have have raised over $300,000 –

SFC:  $300,000 in a few months.  You have worked for Ed Royce, Congressman, for twenty years.

YK:  Yes [Note: more “yes” and other interrupted cross-speak omitted.]

SFC: You know this district backwards and forwards, because you’ve worked for him in the district, in and around the district, for two decades.

YK:  And like I said: when I say she doesn’t represent the interests and the values of the district, the district is traditionally very conservative, faith-based community.

SFC:  You are very conservative socially –

YK:  Very conservative, socially as well, and I do not subscribe to what she believes in, such as the transgender legislation that she worked hard to get it passed — it doesn’t reflect the values.  I would not have even entertained such a thought.  When the vote comes up, on the vote, I would say: “What a stupid, crazy bill.  Who introduced it?”  I would say that.  I would not vote for something like that.”

SFC:  I think that these debates that you two will have should be on statewide television.  I think these will be very entertaining debates, uh buh this is — this is going to be great stuff, and, uh, we’ll see you down the road –

YK: Thank you.

SFC:  – it’s gonna be, it’s gonna be one of the hot races in California, lot of money, lot of attention on both sides, and we’ll see you soon!

YK:  I’m aware of that, so I’m ready, I already rolled up my sleeves, I’m ready, and I’m already … working hard.  I’m hitting the ground, 100%, and I will kick her butt.

SFC:  WOW!  All right.  Thank you.