In an email blast to supporters this afternoon, U.S. Senator Brian Schatz endorsed Keith Amemiya in the nonpartisan Honolulu Mayor’s race.
I was one of those who voted for another candidate, and hadn’t figured out which of the survivors would get my vote in the general election. Brian’s endorsement is likely to help me make that decision.
In any case, I’m printing his endorsement below.
Senator Brian Schatz – Hawaii
Aloha,
Keith Amemiya is my friend, and I trust him. I’m endorsing him to be Honolulu’s next Mayor, and I want you to know why I support him.
Keith builds a sense of community and unity wherever he goes, and it was fair to wonder whether those skill sets and instincts would translate to the political realm. Based on the performance of this campaign – and most importantly, the values of the campaign – Keith has shown that he has what it takes not only to win, but to govern effectively.
That’s what we need in the next Mayor – someone who will bring the kinds of changes we all know we need without losing what it means to live in the most special place on this Earth.
We need a leader who doesn’t add to the chaos and uncertainty, but rather one who listens, builds consensus, and moves the community forward together. Keith has demonstrated that he knows how to motivate people, how to navigate difficulty and complexity, and how to avoid the pettiness that has plagued the politics of our past, on the mainland, and our present.
I respect everyone’s right to pick the candidate that best aligns with their values. For me, that person is Keith. He is a great guy and my friend, and his success as the next leader of our island home is important to me.
Keith has my trust and my full support.
Mahalo,
Brian
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Sorry Ian, but I must disagree. Mr. Amemia is the candidate of the Democrat Party machine, at a time when the people want major change. If elected Amemia would be Caldwell 2.0 at a time when Honolulu taxpayers are sick of Caldwell’s spending, or proposals to spend, on large new projects which people don’t want, including the rail, even when he fails to properly maintain existing infrastructure. Furthermore, I regard an endorsement by Brian Schatz to be a good reason to vote against a candidate. Remember how Schatz was appointed by Abercrombie (machine) to fill the unexpired term of the expired Godfather of the machine, Dan Inouye. My distaste for Schatz began when he waited half a year to give his maiden speech in the Senate, and wasted it on a topic his colleagues surely regarded as unimportant constituent service — urging his colleagues to support the Native Hawaiian recognition bill (Akaka bill) — a bill which had not yet been introduced in that Congress and would never be introduced during the 7 years since then. For full text of Schatz’ speech, and the circumstances when it was given, see
http://www.angelfire.com/big09/AkakaSchatzMaiden061113.html
Yet, the Inouye machine did not want Schatz, and wanted Hanabusa instead to replace him. Doesn’t that make Schatz the anti-machine that now endorses Amemiya?
Ken Conklin disagreeing about something — that’s not exactly one for the record books. Brian Schatz is a good man and Senator with only the people of Hawaii’s best interests at heart (regardless of who appointed him). Not sure about Amemiya yet because I haven’t had to time to dig in, but I do generally trust the opinion of Senator Schatz, although I don’t always agree with everything he says and does. I don’t trust anything Ken Conklin says and no one else should either.
I am a strong supporter of Brian Schatz and was one long before he held his current office. I think he is intelligent, honest, strong, and speaks forthrightly on the most important issues. That is precisely why I find this endorsement so disappointing. As nothing more than the usual empty, boilerplate, back-slapping, local political rhetoric, it is meaningless, except perhaps to explain why “he is a great guy and my friend.” If that is the best Schatz can say about the candidacy of Keith Amemiya for Mayor of Honolulu, I at least will still be considering his opponent, thinly disguised Republican though he may be.
Agreed. If Keith Amemiya’s campaign tag lines of “He brings people together,” “He gets things done” and “He brings people together to get things done” were a drinking game that required us to down a shot each time we heard one, most of us would probably be pretty blitzed after a night of TV watching – especially after multiple viewings of that one ad where retired Coach Dave Shoji says it twice! Everything about Amemiya is pure boiler plate; even his debate answers were canned responses that appear crafted to neither offend anyone nor commit the candidate to a course of action.
Gosh, if only we had a candidate who could bring people together to get things done.
;D
Nice endorsements, Brian, Ian. I’m influenced.
–and choosing to be optimistic.
It will be interesting to see who the Star-Advertiser endorses, its sister publication MidWeek having flagrantly sold itself to Amemiya with all the aplomb of a Hotel Street junkie at 3 a.m.
If SA backs Amemiya, the stench will be quite rank even if the true reasons are unconnected to the MidWeek ignominy.
But then that’s of course part of the problem with MidWeek’s admitted new role as Oahu’s desperate and shameless old media hustler.
Keith Amemiya is a Democrat and is proud of it.
Rick Blangiardi is a Republican and is ashamed to admit it.
Blangiardi does not have the guts to own up to his support of Donald Trump like most other Republicans. Or, the moral fortitude of the growing number of Republicans who denounce him.
Reluctant Rick is a coward who lacks the courage to lead Honolulu through a very difficult 2021. I’m for courageous Keith Amemiya.
@Manoa Kahuna. Aloha. You worry me with your comment that Blangiardi
is a trump supporter. I have acquaintance-known him for about 30 years. It’s been my (weak) impression — maybe based on hope — that he is a non-Trump Republican.
Do you have any sources for your belief?. . . Even a hearsay statement from someone else would help. Because no way in hell am I ever voting for someone who supports Trump.
Please let me know how you know Rick is a trumpster. By the way, I am also a Manoa kahuna. I worry about Amemiya’s ties to local developers.
Pamela,
You’ve known Rick as a Republican for over 30 years. Why is he trying to make us believe he’s always been an independent with a legalistic dodge that he never “joined” the Republican Party.
My point is either he is for Trump or in favor of someone else. Fed up Republicans are vowing to write in their favorite. What’s Rick going to do?
The next Mayor faces gigantic problems. A Mayor who can’t be honest about who he is, cannot lead Honolulu.
I have a problem with an elected official, Brian, endorsing, because Brian is elected to represent the voice of a district. Is this endorsement the consensus of Brian’s district?
I’m just so glad that Hanabusa and Hannemann didn’t make it past the gate that I’m giving the two candidates who did a pass . . . for this week. I’ll be interested to see if the pair of Hs will still nurture the belief that they’re electable. They both must have egos of iron.