COMMENTARY
Moving right along to GOP convention...

By Bob Dye
Kailua-based writer and historian

The next important partisan events in the 2002 election are the state conventions of the major political parties. The GOP convenes May 3 through 5, at the Sheraton in Waikiki. The Democrats meet May 31 through June 2, also at the Sheraton in Waikiki.

James "Duke" Aiona is a former drug court judge who wants the No. 2 spot on the governor ticket. Advertiser library photo • March 1, 2002

Lingle's gubernatorial opponent within the party, John Carroll, hopes it is not that. He is assured by top GOP executive Micah Kane that his treatment by the party will be evenhanded and equal.

Carroll has been offered the chance to address the convention, and he has accepted. He will have a hospitality room and a demonstration group present.

The announced lieutenant governor candidates — journalist Dalton Tanonaka, whose specialty was Asia business news, and James "Duke" Aiona, the former drug court judge — will look for support in their bids for the No. 2 spot on the state ticket.

Tanonaka has limited government experience, a brief stint in 1999 as executive director of economic development for Democratic Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris.

With the image of political appointee never good, that brevity of tenure may be appealing to voters. He is best known as a TV anchor of "BizAsia" for CNN, "Japan Business Today" for NHK in Tokyo and as host of "TalkAsia," a weekly "hour of conversation with the world's most influential people." He is a now special adviser in international relations at the University of Hawai'i. Married, he is the father of a 3-year-old girl.

Aiona is best known as the Circuit Court judge, appointed by Democratic Gov. John Waihe'e, who established Hawai'i's drug court. He served from 1993 to 1998. The court works with nonviolent, first-time offenders with addiction problems. If the person wants help, the court puts the addict in a treatment program and provides other support.

Journalist Dalton Tanonaka's government experience is limited. Advertiser library photo • Nov. 23, 2001

On the opening day of the convention, the GOP will have a third candidate for lieutenant governor — former three-term (1980-90) Windward O'ahu state representative Cam Cavasso. He plans to formally announce his candidacy on the day before the opening of the convention.

A Waimanalo resident and father of five, Cavasso worked hard for a constitutional amendment to affirm traditional marriage between one man and one woman. A graduate of the University of Colorado, the veteran Army officer is a financial insurance and investment adviser. Cavasso has booked a hospitality suite at the Sheraton.

Which of the above three men could best "balance" a ticket headed by Lingle will be a topic of lively conversation. Political mating games are always fun. But to ask the question suggests that Lingle is not the complete package — that she needs a political helpmate to shore her up in this way or that.

What? Vote Aiona because Lingle's not local enough to understand the folks?

Vote Tanonaka because she's too Maui to understand the Asian business scene?

Vote Cavasso because she is unmarried and childless and doesn't understand family values?

Political nonsense.

The message to voters should be that Lingle is the greatest and doesn't need a good man to complement her candidacy. What she needs is a running mate to be interchangeable with her, if the need arises. The same is true for dark-horse Carroll, a stand-alone guy if there ever was one.

It appears that the GOP has three LG candidates who collectively represent a broad political spectrum. That's good for the party. But for voters, it is more important to look at individual demonstrations of integrity and devotion to public service.

If Aiona is the best choice as a potential governor, it is interesting but irrelevant that he is a Hawaiian who went to Saint Louis School.

If Cavasso is the best choice, it doesn't matter that he is a kama'aina haole who graduated from Kailua High School.

If Tanonaka is the best choice, it is unimportant that he is a Japanese-Korean son of a Big Island kimchi producer and graduate of Kalani High School.

The point is: to preserve the image of Carroll and Lingle as candidates wholly able to be governor, each LG candidate must campaign in the primary not as a helpmate but as if it were for the top job, which it potentially is. Then, the LG candidate in the Republican general election must be a best choice for potential governor, whether paired with John Carroll or Linda Lingle.

I am surprised that no Republican woman candidate for LG has emerged. If the need arises, to replace a woman with a woman is equally as good as replacing her with a man.

Maybe it is only in Hawai'i that nonpartisan races are so partisan. Anyway, Frank Fasi, the former long-serving Honolulu mayor, will have a hospitality room at the venue of the Republican convention to boost his nonpartisan candidacy for mayor, if a special mayoral election is held in September.

"Our presence will be felt at the convention," says Howard Chong, Fasi's campaign manager. "We'll be working the halls and meeting with delegates. Frank is the only Republican running for mayor and, if supported by his party, he will win City Hall."

Chong wants Fasi to address the convention, but nothing is confirmed as of this writing.

Fasi says, "I'll be asking every Republican elected official if I can count on their support." He says his message is one of sweetness and light: Republicans have an excellent chance to expand the party base "by coming together to help and support each other."

Only a hundred days remain until the final moment for candidates to file nomination papers for the primary election. In practical terms, everyone who plans to file should have all pre-campaign activities under way: committees formed, issues identified, strategy defined, fund raising begun, and key field workers recruited.

If not, they'd best get cracking.