Senators boost Hanabusa

[ccharles000]

U.S. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and several prominent union and political leaders stood behind state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa yesterday, lending the weight of the Democratic establishment to her campaign for Congress.

Hanabusa is facing former congressman Ed Case and Honolulu City Councilman Charles Djou in a special election to fill the remaining months of U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie's term in urban Honolulu's 1st Congressional District. Abercrombie is resigning to concentrate on his campaign in the Democratic primary for governor.

At the opening of Hanabusa's campaign headquarters on Ward Avenue, Inouye, the state's leading Democrat, praised her skill as a labor attorney and Senate president and described her as a politician who keeps her word.

"It's good currency. You can count on it," he said. "She's got integrity. She's a very principled woman."

Inouye spoke in unusually personal terms about Case, a moderate Democrat who has alienated many in the party's establishment.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?Dato=20100110&Kategori=NEWS21&Lopenr=1100359&Ref=AR

[Mel4Mililani]

1. What else did they say?

Inouye: "Colleen is my kind of gal."
Akaka: "Daniel K. Inouye has spoken."
This is the kind of "endorsement" that Hanabusa deserves, and it's the kind of endorsement that two bitter, corrupt old men can give her.
The Democratic party in Hawaii is in terrible shape. Inouye and Akaka have been corrupt (in a small-town way) for a long time. Both insisted on sticking with their close friend, Ted Stevens, to vote for drilling in the Alaska National Wildlife Refuge, against the wishes of the huge majority of people in Hawaii, progressives and non-progressives alike.
Hanabusa has also been corrupt for a long time. Back in the 1990s the Bishop Estate (which exists to benefit Hawaiians, primarily by providing a strong tuition-free education) was run by a corrupt group of trustees who were skimming millions of dollars. Hanabusa blocked the confirmation of a new Attorney General who was trying to put a stop to it. (She wasn't alone in protecting corruption at the Bishop Estate: Akaka actively defended it, and Inouye passively defended it.)
There was one progressive Dem who fought against corruption more than anybody else in the legislature: Ed Case, who is now running against Hanabusa for Neil Abercrombie's seat in Congress.
Case also same out strongly against drilling in ANWR.
He's also the most strongly pro-LGBTQ politician in all of Hawaii, a state that--even though it has a reputation as among the most progressive in the U.S.--is very strongly anti-LGBTQ.
Case is likely to win this race: Hanabusa doesn't have the same name recognition and is regarded as lacking in integrity, while the Repubs are not strong enough to field two good candidates at the same time. (The current governor is their one strong candidate in this generation.) But it'll be tough: the national Repubs want to embarrass President Obama in the district where he grew up, while Dan Inouye and Danny Akaka hate Case because he doesn't follow Inouye's instructions.
It's a fascinating race, and a fascinating time of change in the Hawaii political (and Democratic) landscape.

[trevor808]

2. Not decided.

Mel4Mililani, thanks for your commentary. I've been reading a lot of things you post about Senator Hanabusa. I have to disagree. Ed Case is the most opportunistic politician in the state. He abandoned the 2nd CD and missed over 50% of the votes the year he tried to challenge Senator Akaka. For a small state like ours, it's important we have a team in Congress who work as a team. Ed Case has shown he won't be a part of Hawaii's team.

As for the progressive argument, Ed Case is a social progressive. However, he's a strong fiscal conservative who's voting record would have underminded Medicare and Social Security. He's hardly the race's true progressive. When it come to funding programs that benefit our keiki, our kupuna, our environment, our heritage, Colleen Hanabusa is the one person who's always fought for all of Hawaii.

Colleen Hanabusa has the fundraising, the organization, and the ability to mount a strong field program. She's taking this race seriously and has brought on a strong team to help her work for Hawaii. While I'm not saying she's going to waltz into office on Sen. Inouye's coattails, this race is far from being decided.

[tashhoover]

5. Ed Case

Hey Trevor808: I agree--you hit it right on the nose. When one looks at Ed Case's voting record, it shows he did a lot of work in 2006, but in the past couple of years it is very plain that he doesn't vote for the really Big Stuff (even when he is PRESENT) . Now, I cannot imagine what type of thoughts pass through his brain in this regard, however, it seems to me that if you don't participate in the really big, more series votes (you know...the ones with the potential for the most long-reaching effects or impact); then you are playing both sides of The Aisle. In other words: "What's in it for me?" Gore, as a Senator, played that way and was not well liked for it; apparently.

Case in point, (no pun intended), if you go to Ed Case's website and view his so-called Platform; there isn't any. There ISN'T ANY. There is a list of issues and current crises and a short, vague description OF this and that issue; but, he doesn't say what he intends on doing about any of these! The point being--and I am making one-- is that Ed Case doesn't want to place his opinion on issues on record. He is obviously giving himself room to swing a cat...or..whatever. Probably to serve his own interest. Either that or he is a control freak.

On top of that horrid stuff that I just wrote about him (above), I've met him a couple of times and also attended a luncheon at which he spoke, and, I have to say...

...he's kind of an Ass.

[Independent_Voice]

6. Another thing that gives me pause about Case...

He endorsed Lieberman in '04 during the presidential primaries.

'Nuff said.

[ellisonz]

3. A pox on all their houses: Case, Hanabusa, and Djou.

Case had a seat in Congress and jumped ship to try to elbow out Akaka for a senate seat: he lost. Hanabusa plays an akamai politician but lacks any real policy achievements and bears responsiblity for our current mess. 36% pay raises in an economic recession. Djou is a reactionary and represents the business and political elite.

Abercrombie - Hooser - 2010

[Hekate]

4. So what's the word on Abercrombie's chances for the governorship?

I'm so old I remember his very first run for office, when he was just a young PhD at UH. I lived in McCully at the time...

Hekate