Press Room

AAI in the News

Sununus 'very best of the Arab-American community'

By David Schoetz
The Union Leader
Posted on Thursday September 2, 2004

In Lebanese, the name “Sununu” means little bird. To Granite Staters, the name also means a strong tradition of Republican politics.

New Hampshire Sen. John E. Sununu was among honored guests at a lavish party titled “An Arabian Night in New York” Tuesday night. Hosted by the Arab American Institute Foundation, the event took place at the Dahesh Museum of Art on Madison Avenue, where guests were treated to Middle Eastern paintings, music and cuisine.

“Governor and Senator Sununu are two of the leading Arab-American political figures,” said AAI Chairman George Salem, the host of the event. “They represent the very best of the Arab-American community.”

While former governor John H. Sununu did not attend, Sen. Sununu made a brief visit.

“The Arab American Institute Foundation is a very strong bi-partisan organization helping to get people interested and increase Arab-American voter registration,” Sununu said. “One of the most important things to do is begin with encouraging participation. It’s the ultimate American ideal.”

Sununu, whose father’s family is of Lebanese descent, has worked with the organization since 1996. At 39, the youngest U.S. senator currently presides as chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on International Operations and Terrorism, a committee of particular interest to the Arab-American community in wake of the Patriot Act.

Sen. Sununu supported the act, but said Tuesday there are aspects of it that should be revisited.

“There are some areas I would modify in the Patriot Act now,” Sununu said. “Within the Arab-American community, there were a lot of situations that created uneasiness.”