After the lackluster attendance at a meeting with Congressman Ami Bera, the Biden for President campaign brought in Khizr Khan,  father of the US Army Captain Humayun Khan who was killed in 2004 during the Iraq War to meet with the South Asian community.  The event dubbed as Chai and Chat with Khizr Khan brought in close to 100 attendees, mostly Democrats, to Shiraz Restaurant.  The successful “Chai and Chat” included dinner was organized by Mrs. Hanadi Nadeem to energize the South Asian community, Pakistani Americans in particular, to deliver Nevada to VP Joe Biden in an upcoming acrimonious Democratic caucus.

Before the start of the event, the guest speaker Khizr Khan mingled and conversed with the attendees. The succinct introduction by the event hostess, Ms. Hanadi followed by a 15-minute speech by the evening guest Khizr Khan.

Khizr Khan began with the question, Why I am here followed by the comment – to speak and support Vice President Biden.   In support of VP Biden, Khan said, “I know him, referring to VP Joe Biden, in two ways, 

first very personal qualification of this candidate: most experience, 40 years of public service, most experienced among the candidates, and secondly, the world leaders know and respect him.”

Khan made the case for VP Biden for President sighting his own personal experience in December 2016 when the then-Vice President Joe Biden welcomed Khan couple to his official residence. Khan cited Biden’s empathy when he stopped his speech and escorted the couple to his private office.  Biden said, “please note you’re my family. If you are burdened by the attack by Trump, we are with you to support you.”  Khan noted and emphasized repeatedly “his (Biden’s) empathy towards us and the courtesy of inviting us.”

Khan further said “one thing touched my heart is his announcement of terminating a travel ban. It’s illegal and unconstitutional.” 

During the speech, Khan constantly brought the US Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and the US Bill of Rights and pushed attendees to read these judicious documents.  Khan quoted the grievance no. 7 from the Declaration of Independence where the British King at that time discouraged the influx of immigrants to the United States.  This was in a subtle reference to the current administrations’ snide immigration policies and a travel ban from some countries due to the national security issues.

Khan continued his push to seek support for VP Biden for President. “We compared other candidates. We read the policy papers on a wide range of issues, and decided to support Vice President Biden,” explained Khan to the curious attendees.  “This is the darkest moment in the history of the United States and we don’t want this darkness again.”

Ending his speech, Khan fervently appealed to the attendees to go to caucuses, help the campaign, volunteer, support financially and talk to friends in support of his chosen candidate, VP Joe Biden for President.

Although an Asian event, the newly formed Asian American & Pacific Islanders (AAPI) for Biden for President wasn’t part of this event.  The disconcerting non-Democrat leadership of the group was conspicuously absent from the dinner event.

Immediately after the speech, the host Dr. Nadeem announced to ask a few questions before the dinner. However, Ms. Divya Narala, an employee of Biden for President, immediately interjected and allowed no questions from the floor and directed the attendees to proceed for the dinner.  Later, Narala announced to have a Q&A after dinner.  Narala’s decision on the Q&A session was undoubtedly a case to avoid any unpleasant situation. The decision to hold Q&A after dinner was insulting to all the attendees. It was clear that, hey we deserve your votes instead of earning your votes.

After talking to a few of the attendees, it appeared that the successful event may not translate into the votes for VP Biden as some of the attendees were undecided and are not impressed much with the slate of Democratic candidates.

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