Commentary
Schools role would test Hirono's leadership skills

By Bob Dye
Kailua-based historian and writer

Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono for superintendent of schools!

Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono danced with Gov. Ben Cayetano at a 1998 Democratic rally, but can she dance with the state Board of Education as an acting superintendent of schools? Some think she can. Advertiser library photo • Nov. 1, 1998

She is thoughtful, has integrity and educational vision. She would bring instant credibility to the job, because of her stature. A great public service for her to perform.

So good was the idea that Dobelle shared it with Mazie.

"And that he did," Mazie said. "I was flattered by his confidence in my ability to do that important job. He said he knew of my strong commitment to education, and that he would be delighted to work with me."

She is thinking about it.

The more I think about it, the more sense it makes to me.

Would it be possible, I wonder, for Gov. Ben Cayetano to immediately add "acting superintendent of schools" to her other duties? I know he can't technically make the appointment, that the Board of Education has that power. But I'm sure he could get its kokua.

Such a bold act by Ben would give the schools a top leader to keep them moving forward, and the board time to search for a permanent replacement for Paul LeMahieu.

And in the race for governor, the top education job would give her needed public exposure, and the chance to demonstrate that she has the necessary executive management skills to move a vast bureaucracy. The governor's confidence in her to do that tough job would give her a boost in the polls, which she badly needs.

What a morale booster this graduate of Hawai'i public schools and UH would be to the DOE. Teachers like Mazie, and she likes them too. During the recent strike, she joined them on the picket line. She is a strong advocate of quality education. And to give political clout to the state's major educational institutions, she has promised to seek statutory power to make the LG a voting member of the UH Board of Regents and the state Board of Education.

Although she claims otherwise, we know that the official chores of the second in command are minimal. A woman of her professional ability has the time to do more than is asked of her on paper. And her excellent legal training, considerable legislative skills, and plain old political smarts are needed at the demoralized Department of Education like never before.

Poor Mazie! Her future public service has been a topic of discussion by seemingly everyone but her for many months. Last spring, eager to divert her political aspirations to another prestigious job, a Harris operative told me that Mazie will get "an offer she can't refuse." I guessed the offer was mayor of Honolulu, and floated the notion.

But she told me: "The report that I was offered a prestigious post for dropping out of the governor's race is absolutely false. If I had wanted to be a judge, I could have been one a long time ago. I am running for governor."

Despite more recent protestations, speculation is again rife that she's thinking of dropping out of the governor's race. She has been slipping in statewide polls; against Democrat Jeremy Harris in the primary, and against Republican Linda Lingle in the general. The figures from veteran pollster Don Clegg also show that Harris is increasing marginally his slight lead over Lingle. But that lead remains within the margin of error. So they were nose to nose in August, when the poll was taken.

Why engage in a bloody and costly Democratic Primary fight, some Dems in high places are asking. They point out that while Lingle will have no serious opposition in the GOP primary, Jeremy's campaign treasury will take a big hit if he's seriously challenged. So it would make political sense to buy her out. An astute political observer suggested the Harris campaign organization could raise a half-million dollars for Mazie to run for mayor.

"He'd be saving money."

If Mazie is convinced to drop out "for the sake of unity," how does the Democratic Party reward her for being such a good soldier all of these years?

With but only a few lapses into independence, she was a dutiful lieutenant to Gov. Cayetano. She worked hard on the Democratic National Committee. She chaired Al Gore's Hawai'i campaign, and he won here.

So? It was Jeremy Harris, not Mazie Hirono, who raised more than $100,000 for Gore's national campaign. On tickets purchased with Harris campaign funds, aides went as far as California to raise money for the DNC. On presidential election night, Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Harris were in Nashville to attend the Gore hoopla.

Mazie sniped, at the time, that she wished Harris had spent that much effort raising money for the Hawai'i Coordinated Campaign.

Now, the rumor has resurfaced that Mazie may enter the fray for Honolulu mayor, with the blessing of Harris. If true, don't bet on such a state of bliss lasting very long. Political marriages, even those made in heaven, often — in that old Irish term, "misgiggle" — come down to earth. Besides, she doesn't need Jeremy's help.

In that winner-take-all race, crowded with Duke Bainum, Frank Fasi, Mufi Hannemann and Keith Kaneshiro, Mazie would be an immediate front-runner.

Her name recognition is as good or better than that of any of the guys. Her intelligence and integrity are unquestioned. She always gets strong support from the public-worker unions.

And she's such a good role model for aspiring female candidates.

But whether as governor, mayor, superintendent of schools, or as a supreme court justice, Mazie Hirono must remain in public service.