The credit for getting Senator Dan Inouye on the record criticizing the recent Hannemann campaign mailer goes to KITV’s Denby Fawcett. In a story broadcast on Friday, she put the issue to the Senator.
Inouye said, “Sure you can be proud of your spouses but to say my wife is Japanese and yours is something else, that is not nice.”
Inouye said he has always tried to keep his own campaigns positive.
He said making haole (caucasian) and non-haole comparisons ,and contrasting yourself as Hawaii-born versus being from the mainland can be a dangerous way to go in a political campaign.
“If you do that, you will have to keep in mind that some people might resent that,” said Inouye.
Interestingly, Fawcett reports the Hannemann campaign declined to comment on the story. During last night’s debate, Hannemann offered a contorted pseudo-apology that didn’t actually apologize.
According to KITV’s Keoki Kerr:
In the hour-long debate on KHON-2 Friday night, Hannemann acknowledged some people feel the brochure was “not a good way or a positive way” to point out the differences between himself and Abercrombie.
“If we caused that kind of uneasiness and suffering from some people who saw it that way, certainly, it’s regrettable, and I’m sorry if it caused you that kind of feeling,” Hannemann said. “On the other hand, there were people who were saying that’s exactly what we need to see more of. We need to see the differences between the two of you.”
I’m beginning to agree with Abercrombie that Hannemann has a way of blaming everyone else when things don’t go right. In this case, it wasn’t that the campaign flyer was offensive. It was the fault of those overly sensitive readers who had “that kind of feeling.”
Given some of what’s being said on the campaign trail, perhaps Mufi should have a chance to debate Kirk Caldwell over whether the mayor or managing director should have bragging rights for “management experience”. The charter does provide for the managing director and a deputy managing director to handle the day-to-day management functions of the city while the mayor functions as the policy-driving CEO.
If you’re interested, here’s what the City Charter has to say about the different powers and duties of the mayor, and those of the managing director.
So on paper at least, both appear to rightly claim to have exercised management authority while at the city.
I also have to comment on Peter Carlisle’s attempt to spin all those other city issues from his prosecutor’s perspective. He demonstrated the limits to that perspective in addressing a question about homelessness during KHON’s earlier mayoral debate. Carlisle’s answer, which suggested better use of criminal and civil laws to herd the homeless out of our way, seemed devoid of any appreciation for homelessness as a social issue and not simply a legal one. We obviously haven’t figured out the answer to homelessness, but that was one answer I found very troubling.
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That’s always his answer to everything-lock ’em up and throw away the key.
I’m referring to Carlisle
If you’re a kremlinologist-type political observer in Hawaii then when DAN (no title on his bumper stickers or signs) speaks ex cathedra then the verdict is in. . . “The LORD giveth. The LORD taketh away.” And evidence supports the notion: King Saul (tall, good looking, right CV) included that left handed-Mea Culpa in his televised debate opening statement (you poor folks offended by his little Comparison flyer). I guess old Saul heard wrong– DAN didn’t say annihilate the Amalekites after all (it’s not nice). With all the campaign pros around King Saul, I’m surprised all they had were smirks and “no falsehoods in the flyer” canned comments as a defense– who was the audience for the flyer (old Saul’s supporters were already talking the snark– why put it in a flyer sent statewide to the entire primary electorate?)? If, as a King Saul insider mentioned to a friend, it was the brainchild of a mainland consultant, then more egg on their faces! How do you expect to out-local someone by paying a mainland marketer– that’s like putting up a website to ridicule your opponent in a mean-spirited juvenile way. . . Oops, perhaps a Harvard education is overrated in this case.
I’m not a real scholar, I just pretend to be one sometimes. It took a couple of reads to ‘get’ what you are saying and all I can say is “You’re on a roll man.”
The problem the mufioso have is if they draw back the negative campaigning they have… nothing.
Neil on the other hand enjoys a good issue based debate. He made a point during one of the conversations I have heard to say the republicans simply don’t field the candidates.
As I see it, Aiona and Dijou are the best they have. If you aren’t an evangelical you may as well hang up you candidacy as a republican.
I personally observe local democrats who in another state would be republican (like Utah, for example.). Here of course if you want to win an election you pretty much have to be a democrat.
On its website, another KITV story (“Sen. Inouye Slams Hannemann Campaign Brochure”) includes the following gem:
“Some Hannemann campaign workers said Friday they disliked the brochure from the beginning. They said it was the idea of a mainland consultant. One said she was uncomfortable with the mailer’s negativity.”
A “mainland consultant”?!?
Right, the “mainland” consultant. That old scapegoat.
It couldn’t possibly have been one of US! We locals are so much nicer than those horrible, mean-spirited mainlanders! They’re scary and opportunistic! We locals, especially those of us who are more local than other locals, would never approve of … oh, wait …
I don’t need additional reasons to hate politics and despise politicians. But Hanneman and Caldwell blithely dancing away from accountability or any degree of responsibility of the incredibly criminal legal theft by raising tax rates on Kalihi homes four times in itself should be enough to jail these snakes.
“a mainland con-insultant”?! Who da heck here on these islands can’t come up with a flyer like that or of course, even better, and more pointed?!
Demby Fawcett said that the said mainland consultant had worked on other political campaigns in Hawaii, and specifically for Frank Fasi — wanna take a guess? 😉
wanna take a guess at what.
Who do you think is the “mainland” consultant?
why no tell,us, if YOU know.
I think the mailers were printed on the mainland but the content is pure Keith Rollman. Just my guess, you know … 😉
Exactly right!
It is exactly consistent with Keith’s stuff. This “mainland consultant” stuff is nonsense.
But the problem is Mufi! As the say, “the fish rots from the head.”
During televised debate the other night, Mufi kept patronizing and ridiculing Neil, as if we would all “OBVIOUSLY agree with what Mufi was saying and, somehow, think Mufi was being polite and restrained, given how ridiculous Neil actually is.
Mufi’s inner campaign disparages Neil all the time and this poisons Mufi’s ability to treat him respectfully during the debates. They call him a “potsmoking, loud-mouthed haole radical” in their private discussions so much of the time that they barely tone it tone during official appearances.
I am getting to the point where I am beginning to wonder if I can vote for Mufi and his minions if he wins the Democratic nomination.
“Mufi’s minions.” I think that phrase might have legs.
The bottomest line is Mufi approved it. I did not hear him acknowledge that. The buck stops with the bruddah at the top. Colleen took her okole-spankings for the pay-raise flyer, factual or not, similarly, Mufi should completely man-up on this.
I wont hold my breath. The best I can hope is that Mufi, Inc. have now learned their collective lessons.
Sorry for the typo, brAddah,
they just didn’t expect to be called on it
the distinction is no longer about whether the candidate looks like you or me — the real distinction is whether the candidate thinks like you or me (the answer to that seems pretty clear at this point)
Some provisional thoughts~
A law degree/experience do not a good public administrator/executive make.
I vote only for politicians who have well-supported positions on issues important to me. The field is severely limited as few candidates have the guts to flesh out their positions.
Before anyone votes for Moofey as Gov, take a look at his record as Mayor. Egadz!
This is executive experience? Decisions made by the Governor are much more complex than a campaign flyer. One could question Mufi’s judgement.
A: “You hurt my feelings.”
B: “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
A: “You hurt my feelings.”
B: “I’m sorry to hear that.”
B: “Next time, don’t tell that to me and I won’t hear that.”
the simplified dialog is a classic passive-aggressive response (of B) by attacking and dismissing A’s statement.