SA: Inouye wanted Hanabusa to succeed him in U.S. Senate

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye urged Gov. Neil Abercrombie in a personal letter to appoint U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa as his successor, a spokesman for the senator said.

Inouye's spokesman, Peter Boylan said the letter is Abercrombie's to release. But he confirmed it was Inouye's "last wish" for Hanabusa to succeed him.

Abercrombie acknowledged receiving the letter but did not publicly talk about the appointment recommendation. The governor said the letter was hand-delivered today.

"I cannot speak and will not speak for the family, but I believe it's important for everyone to know that the senator's thoughts and words were lucid and ... available to us right up until the very last minute," Abercrombie said.

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Charles Djou's Statement on Senator Inouye's Passing: 

“It is with great sadness that Stacey and I learned of Senator Inouye’s passing.  There has been no more consistent or passionate advocate for the people of Hawai’i for nearly 60 years. Senator Inouye was an American hero and selfless public servant, and it was an honor to serve with him in Hawaii’s congressional delegation. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

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Governor Abercrombie’s Statement on the Passing of Senator Inouye

HONOLULU –Governor Neil Abercrombie today shared the following remarks upon learning of the passing of Senator Daniel K. Inouye: 

“The Senator gave everything. He knew the true meaning of ‘Go for Broke.’  He left us with a legacy of honor and service to the people of Hawaii, to the people of this nation, without parallel. 

“The Senator recently made clear to me his love and affection for us all. He said: ‘I represented the people of Hawaii and this nation honestly and to the best of my ability. I think I did okay.’  I’m sure we all believe he did okay. 

“Our responsibility is to not just carry on but carry through on his total devotion and commitment to Hawaii and its values. Our thoughts, hearts and deepest aloha go out to his wife, Irene; son, Ken; and the entire Inouye family.” 

View video of the Governor’s remarks here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTDEu1_Idqw 

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Politico: Tulsi Gabbard ‘Being Groomed for Senate’

Politico: A rising star in the Democratic Party, Gabbard was invited to speak at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C. “It was a huge honor,” she said. “These opportunities are completely unexpected from my standpoint.”

There’s some scuttlebutt that she’s being groomed for the Senate, but like any good politician, Gabbard said her “sole focus right now is to provide the highest level of service to my constituents. Period.”

Related: To Stop Mufi, Mrs Abercrombie Joins the Chris Butler Cult

Read … Politico