http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1228977239284270.xml&coll=1WASHINGTON -- Anh "Joseph" Cao arrived in Washington on Wednesday to the praise of congressional Republicans and began his metamorphosis from unlikely hero to Congress' most junior -- and politically vulnerable -- member.
Cao, who at 5 feet 2 inches might become the smallest man in the House, received a thunderous standing ovation at a meeting of the House Republican Conference, where he was introduced by Republican House Leader John Boehner of Ohio. Since Cao's election Saturday, Boehner has proclaimed him the future of the party.
In their prayer, the Republican members of the House thanked God for Cao, and at a reception Wednesday evening at the Republican National Committee, Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, introduced Cao as the man who had "lifted the cloud hanging over the 2nd Congressional District."
"I hope to bring a fresh face and maybe a new perspective to our party," said Cao, whose demeanor tends to deflect, not draw attention.
"He's drinking from a fire hose right now," said former Louisiana Rep. Bob Livingston, now a lobbyist, and among those at the RNC reception.
But even on this heady day, Cao was splashed with a little of the cold water of reality.
Cao expressed interest Monday in serving on the Ways and Means and Appropriations committees, the two most coveted assignments. He was informed Wednesday that Ways and Means is unlikely and Appropriations even more unlikely. He was told that Transportation, Energy and Commerce, and Homeland Security were possibilities. Scalise covets the Energy post, and Cao seemed enamored of Transportation, what with New Orleans' port and no end of worthy infrastructure projects.
Cao arrived in the nation's capital on a damp, nearly balmy December day, accompanied by Ruth Sherlock, a GOP consultant from South Carolina who helped put together his winning campaign, and Rhett Davis, a former executive director of the Louisiana Republican Party, who is from Walker.
The day began with courtesy calls on Rep. Charles Boustany, R-Lafayette, and Scalise in House office buildings that were in a disheveled state of end-of-session moves. Despite his junior status, Cao, because he is arriving after office space has been assigned, is inheriting the offices of the man he beat, Rep. William Jefferson of New Orleans. Jefferson occupies the kind of nice quarters one can gain after nine terms in office.
Cao, the first Vietnamese-American elected to Congress, said he plans to accept an invitation from Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., to join the Asian-Pacific Islander Caucus that Honda leads. He said he also would like to join the Congressional Black Caucus, to which he has not been invited."I'd like to join any caucus that would have me," Cao said.
The Black Caucus, which is losing Barack Obama and Jefferson in the new Congress, has never had a nonblack member. When Stephen Cohen, a liberal white Democrat, was elected to succeed Harold Ford Jr. representing the majority-black district in Memphis, Tenn., in 2006, he expressed a desire to become the caucus's first white member. But he was discouraged by caucus members and backed off.
Membership in the much smaller Asian Caucus is determined by interest, not identity.
In a bit of personal housekeeping, Cao said he wants to continue to be referred to in official proceedings and news coverage as Anh "Joseph" Cao, quote marks and all. His name is pronounced "Ein Gow," but he is untroubled by mispronunciations.
Most folks in his life call him Joseph, he said. Cao said he took the name Joseph from the Bible; it is his baptismal name. The former Jesuit seminarian said Joseph was a humble, hard-working man, a carpenter.
"I'm a worker; I'm a hard-working worker," Cao said.
As a Vietnamese-American representing a majority black district and a Republican in an overwhelmingly Democratic district, he'll have to be.
"He's going to have to dwell on constituent service to retain the seat, with very good outreach to the African-American community especially and all his constituents," Livingston said.
On his way into a meeting with Boehner, Cao was greeted by a knot of cameras, including one from "NBC Nightly News" with Brian Williams, which is planning a segment on him.
When a reporter asked whether this was Cao's first time in the Capitol, he replied: "No, I used to live here. Well, I didn't live in the Capitol, but I lived in Falls Church (in northern Virginia) and visited a lot.
"I hope I'm allowed to keep my sense of humor," Cao said.
