A reader submitted this campaign vignette:
Nearly a thousand people attended the 75th Anniversary annual meeting and banquet for the Hawaii State Federal Credit Union at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Coral Ballroom on Saturday night – Willie K was in top form, including a 20+ minute hana hou.
Timed perfectly, so that he wouldn’t be interrupting peoples’ dinners or the show, consummate campaigner Ed Case worked the room – stopped at each table (about a hundred tables of 8), shook hands, posed for pix, spouse Audrey in tow for part of the time
The room was full of HSFCU members and guests/spouses – which of course means a mix of mostly ethnic japanese state worker civil service types – untucked aloha shirts – and lots of presumably state retirees.
Members have successfully installed a new board over the last couple of years after Rob Perez reported on abuses – newer board members include Bill Milks and Lowell Kalapa – outgoing board members Jimmy Takushi and Tit Mun Chun (noted pointedly that he was born well before the CU was created 75 years ago) were recognized and deep in lei.
Earlier in the week, Case officially filed his nomination papers and a press release.
It’s coded message was quite interesting.
“The status quo on Capitol Hill is not going to overcome the challenges we all face today and tomorrow. Just adding more Senators who live and breathe endless partisan warfare, who follow the crowd and rubber stamp the way things are, who view every issue from the extremes, is not what we need.
“I’m proud to be a Democrat and will advance and defend the core values of our party that have made our country great. But that can’t be the be-all, end-all of governing our country….
“I will do everything and work with anyone I can to fix DC and reclaim our government, because the reality is that we can’t achieve what we must without changing DC. Only then can we find workable, inclusive solutions to grow our economy, balance our budget, assure our energy needs and save Social Security and Medicare, to touch just the tip of the iceberg.[emphasis added]
Like the vaguely androgynous character, Pat, of Saturday Night Live fame, Case is vaguely free and loose with his allegiances, a “yes, but” Democrat.
This isn’t a new song, and I just don’t know how it’s going to play this time around.
But, as his appearance at the HSFCU dinner shows, Case is a good campaigner. We’ll see.
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Clearly a “dino – we know” Case (blue dog, democrat in name only or a mean ol’ sin-a-sister Lingle in pants)!
no spam,
I’m not sure what all of your comment means, but right now, the “real Hawaii democrats,” aren’t upholding any values other than the value that they want to get re-elected.
The state democrats want to exempt the county and state from from it’s own environmental restrictions and oversight for their construction friends and they keep throwing up roadblocks to transparency and accountability. They want to finish paving over Oahu and they wanted the governor to sign off on the rail EIS before anyone had even seen it.
Have you asked yourself how Mazie Hirono will vote once Dan Inouye isn’t there to tell her how?
I’d welcome an ethical politician who actually takes a considered position on things on a case by base basis votes his conscience rather than someone who votes strictly along party lines. Ed Case might or might not be that guy, but we already know who isn’t.
well put, kalaheo. i usually vote democrat but i am not down with the “i would rather die than vote republican” montage.
Where’s Mazie? I want to hear a Mazie-Ed debate.
I first met Ed Case when he was in the State Legislature – and found him to be on my side of the table in three key areas: environmental matters; social justice concerns including reproductive choice & civil rights for all; and, animal rights/protection legal issues .
Over the six-year period I worked with him on a multitude of issues, I found him bright, dedicated to making a difference in how we live, work & play, and capable of being able to see all sides of any given issue.
I joined his Primary campaign for governor in 2002 which he lost to Hirono and then joined his special election campaign for the Second Congressional District seat after Patsy Mink died in August, 2002.
However, I was profoundly disappointed with his position on the war in Iraq and did not vote for him – or Little Dan – in 2006. I like Senator Akaka’s general positions, but I was wanted him to be replaced with someone younger.
Although Democrats who oppose Case in this year’s election acknowledge that he is on their side of table on the above issues, they hold him accountable for voting in support of the war just a few weeks after being elected and for supporting the bankruptcy bill passed just before he left the US House in 2006 to run for the US Senate.
Since there are no re-wind buttons on life, neither he nor I can go back & change what happened back then.
That means I have to balance what he did back then on all sorts of issues and what we need to have happen this summer & fall.
Is he a DINO? Not in my opinion.
With respect to the 2012 election, my SigOth is visibly supporting Ed for the nomination while I have chosen to stay out of any public support because I currently sit on the Democratic State Central Committee. I take the position that I should not be visibly involved in any Democratic Party Primary campaign.
Because of reapportionment, we have been moved into another State Senate/State House district so I will have to stand for re-election in a relatively unknown district sometime in June. If I lose, then I’ll feel comfortable about campaigning opening for Ed.
As someone who stands way-y-y-y-y to the left of center on virtually every single issues, I want to make sure that the person who wins the Primary in August can actually beat Lingle and, after taking office, do some good for the country.
What’s that sound I hear off in the distance? Something shaking or rattling? Oh, I know. It’s the Democrats checking to be sure their Etch-A-Sketches are working properly, after the big flap over the comment by Romney’s advisor. Even Big Barry has one — I saw a clip where President Obama was talking with Russian President Medvedev, thinking the microphone was off, and Obama whispered “Wait until after the election; I’ll have more flexibility then.” I agree with kalaheo.
Case is soooo good at campaigning that he’s been putting up campaign signs before he was legally running for office. Sounds like a rerun of his ‘promise’ not to run against Sen. Akaka to Sen. Inouye, all the while printing signs to run for Senate against Sen. Akaka. Shibai, that guy.
Call me crazy, but I long to return to a time where there was less hard-line partisanship in politics. Today’s lack of statesmanship and willingness to negotiate in good faith with the other side of the aisle by both parties is not a positive thing for the country.
Will Ed Case make a difference? Doubtful, but it might be a start. I am amused by the Star Advertiser’s weekly recap of how the congressional delegation voted in a given week. It should be a front page story when there is any variation from one another. (However, it does seem that since he has announced his retirement that Senator Akaka is showing some independence from the Puppet Master.)
Let’s hope for some lively debates and an open-minded electorate.
I agree with Gozinya. I, too, would like very much to see a side by side comparison of these two candidates whether it be a debate or a well structured independent forum. Case asserted in Hilo last week he is being ducked over and over. Mazie seems to have ignored that assertion as well as bids to debate. Will she slid by on endorsements alone??
When Case uses the worn out dribble of “grow the economy, balance the budget, assure our energy needs and save social security and medicare”if anyone believes that means, full support of unions, cut military spending, demand financial transparency of HECO and increase SS taxable limit above 100 grand and support single payer health insurance options, they might as well vote for Lingle. Dean Little
I went to an event for Ed Case and listened to him discuss his positions on various issues. Although I didn’t agree with all of his positions I found them to be logical and well reasoned. I would rather vote for someone who is an independent thinker. [slight edit]