I spent a good deal of time with my 94-year old father this week.

We had a good time yesterday morning when I stayed with him while my mother and sister went shopping. After sharing a few videos and photos of our Kaaawa cats and dogs, I enlisted Google Earth and Google Maps to take him back to his family’s home in Long Beach, California. We visited the pier at Belmont Shores, then worked our way up to their house on Euclid Avenue at the corner of Vista, and then checked out Horace Mann School just few blocks away, which he recalls clearly. After that, I told him to hang onto his hat and we flew to the area of Scotland where his parents came from. He was happy, even though Google’s Streetview didn’t give us a view of the Belmont Pier.

I know he’s been at the typewriter for several years but hadn’t look at what he’s written until yesterday. Two political endorsements immediately caught my eye.

I found this comment about Barack Obama in a paragraph dated July 29, 2004, right after that year’s Democratic Convention:

The presentation of the keynote speaker’s address at the Democratic convention was, in my opinion, unbelievable! The name Barack Obama was previously unknown to me. My reaction following the talk was, “W-O-W”. My thoughts turned to the time I first heard John F. Kennedy speak and his quick rise to the presidency. The USA has unveiled through the democratic party a real winner. THe voters of Illinois are fortunate to have the name Barack Obama as a choice on their ballot for the U.S. Senate. If I’m not mistaken, it will not be long before the rest of us will have the chance to extend our vote for him for the highest office in the land. I’ve been inspired and believe it or not, by a local product born and raised in the islands.

This despite our past disagreements over his support for GOP candidates. So you can guess who he’s going to vote for this year.

And, to be fair, I need to mention his endorsement of Mayor Mufi Hannemann, based on his personal experience. Here’s what he wrote back in the summer of 2004:

A good Samaritan is hard to find and equally difficult to acknowledge. Here’s my story.

In any business, especially small privately held organizations, collections are the key to success. At the end of 1998 I had been in the retail business for 66 years and decided to retire but a review of accounts receivable created a serious problem resulting in an all out collection of delinquent accounts.

An account in the South Pacific (American Samoa) was indebted to us in the amount of several thousand dollars and overdue almost a year. Collection agencies in some cases leave little of the amount collected, resulting in using every means possible to get the full amount due before sending it to a collection firm.

In this instance, a copy of the collection letter went to Mr. Mufi Hannemann, who at that time was a member of the City Council. I did not personally know Mr. Hannemann, but knew he had acquaintances in the area.

About 30 days from the time the letter went into the mail box, a gentleman came in to our Honolulu office and introduced himself. It was Mufi Hannemann and he had a check in his hand for the full amount. I was amazed and all I could do was express my appreciation. He was not interested in a gratuity!

This is one politician who went completely out of his way to do a favor to a small business man. Even though a lot of years have passed, I will never forget this. I’m pleased to tell this story. I’m confident there are few if any people who would go out of their way to assist a small business in this way. You’re right, my vote will be for Mufi Hannemann for mayor, a man who proved we can count on to do a good honest job for his constituents.

So if endorsements count, there are two strong ones.

For today’s Feline Friday, it’s Total Toby. He’s decided that he has the right to be inside, something we’ve been trying to convince him of for years. And he’s got several strategies for getting attention, like getting in position to solicit a few kisses on his head. In any case, just click for a few more good looks at Mr. Toby.