by Andrew Walden
The fight continues over whether Democrats have forgiven former Rep Ed Case (D-HI) for implying Sen Dan Akaka (D-HI) was a feebleminded, ineffectual, ultra liberal during Case's failed 2006 primary campaign.
Case just before Christmas called upon Senate President Colleen Hanabusa (D-Koolina) to drop out of the race and called her "clueless". Hanabusa has responded in a December 26 interview with The Hill by calling on Case to drop out and calling him "not forgiven", "not a team player" and "not a consensus builder."
Hanabusa has drawn Rep Neil Abercrombie into the melee, claiming that he is distancing himself from Case. Abercrombie has not yet responded, but many observers have depicted Abercrombie and Case running as an enviro-team backed by ex-Gov Ben Cayetano against Gubernatorial Candidate Mufi Hannemann (D-Oahu) and Colleen Hanabusa running as an old-boy team backed by Sen Dan Inouye.
While his opponents squabble, Honolulu Councilman Charles Djou (R-East Oahu) is building on his fundraising lead. Djou is the only candidate who actually lives in the district.
Ed Case has all-but-announced his intention to seek a Senate seat, completely undermining his election argument about having seniority in the House.
Hanabusa has argued that Hawaii cannot afford the Special Election--likely because she is behind in both polling and fundraising.
Thus Djou not only lives in the district, but he is the only candidate who both wants to run and intends to serve in the House of Representatives.
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The Hill: Lingering resentment could play into Hawaii congressional race
Former Rep. Ed Case’s (D-Hawaii) primary opponent doesn’t believe Democrats have forgiven him for challenging Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii). “I think that Ed should bow out,” said state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa (D). “And the main reason why is that contrary to what he told you, I don’t believe that Democrats have forgiven him for the race against Senator Akaka.” ...
(Remember: With all that is happening in the World and the Nation, the "main reason" to vote for Hanabusa is that Hawaii Democrats have not forgiven Ed Case for calling Dan Akaka names.)
Moreover, his Senate run, which came after winning only one full term in the House, showed that he’s not a team player, Hanabusa said. “Ed has never been viewed as team player by the congressional delegation or by others in the state. He’s not a consensus builder.” (All because he ran against Akaka.)
Hanabusa pointed to recent remarks from Abercrombie that she said hinted he wasn’t looking for Case to succeed him.
“My thought, and I've said it to other people, is if you don't want to be a team player in the Hawaii congressional delegation, don't run, because there are only four of us,” Abercrombie told the Honolulu Advertiser this week.
(Amusing. The Advertiser article: "'Rift' between Hawaii lawmakers is politically based, not personal" was all about Abercrombie supporters like John Buckstead trying to con-vince Democrats that Sen Inouye really isn't supporting Mufi Hannemann against Abercrombie. Now Hanabusa is using their words to drive a wedge between Abercrombie and Case.)
Hanabusa labeled Case a “maverick,” and implied he would operate independently of the rest of the state’s members.
“I don’t believe when we only have four in our congressional delegation that you can have somebody who runs maverick on ya," she said. "It’s not that time." (Sounds like she is calling Case a McCain Republican)
(Don't these two clowns have anything better to talk about? The "MAIN REASON" for supporting Hanabusa is revenge on Case for 2006? With all the things going on in the world, are Hawaii voters supposed to waste their ballots on a squabble over internal Democrat politics? )
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Advertiser article: "'Rift' between Hawaii lawmakers is politically based, not personal" (Abercrombie vs Inouye)
Abercrombie, a friend of the Obama family, has used Obama's theme of change to help frame his campaign for governor.
It was Abercrombie's zealous support for Obama during the presidential primaries last year that caused his most public rift with the Inouye camp.
Inouye had endorsed then-U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton early in the campaign and the senator remained loyal as Obama brought thousands of new Democrats to the local party and crushed Clinton in the Hawai'i caucuses.
The local Clinton and Obama forces had largely reached a public truce by the party's state convention in May 2008, stressing unity and the historic nature of the nomination fight.
Behind the scenes, though, the local Clinton and Obama camps both sought the last superdelegate slot to the Democratic National Convention in Denver.
The local Clinton camp wanted former Gov. George Ariyoshi for the slot. When that did not work out, they drafted Sabas — Inouye's chief of staff — as the reluctant stand-in.
The local Obama camp put up James Burns, a retired judge on the state Intermediate Court of Appeals and the son of former Gov. John Burns.
Abercrombie personally acted as a whip for Burns, and when the party's state central committee met at the close of the convention to decide, the congressman stayed to help make sure the vote went his way.
Burns beat Sabas by three votes.
The situation was awkward — and some believe unnecessary — since the last superdelegate slot was not that sweet of a prize. (Typical Abercrombie, picking petty fights while losing all the big fights.)
Both sides had worked the vote, and things were said privately that left wounds.
Shortly after, Abercrombie, aware of the tension, had a trusted staffer hand-deliver Sabas a bouquet of flowers.
Sabas sent the flowers back.
(And that, Hawaii, is how Democrats want you to pick the next Governor and Representative.)
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