By David Shapiro

Gov. Ben Cayetano's Achilles heel as a leader is that he thinks there's only one right answer — and that he's the only one who knows what it is.

That conceit is on sad display as he hijacks the spotlight in the 2002 governor's race with bitter carping at those who seek to succeed him.

If Cayetano persists in making this election about him, he risks tarnishing the legacy he so zealously guards and destroying his party's chances of retaining the governorship.

This is not to agree with whining Republicans and their editorial supporters who want Cayetano led away in leg irons for having his department heads do a critical fiscal analysis of Linda Lingle's "A New Beginning for Hawaii."

Lingle leveled a brutal attack on the Cayetano administration and they returned fire. What did Republicans expect? Nobody respects the kid who runs around the schoolyard smacking classmates and then cries to the teacher when they hit back.

Republicans miss the point if they think Cayetano went after Lingle in a partisan act to bolster fellow Democrats. His obsession is defending his own righteousness.

Cayetano acted with disregard for Democratic candidates, whose names have barely been mentioned in news and commentary about the election since this controversy began.

Democrats who distance themselves from Cayetano's reign annoy him almost as much as Lingle. Ask Jeremy Harris, who got a sharp rebuke from the governor in March for suggesting the state could do more to reduce its work force.

History will judge Cayetano more kindly than current public opinion, but for now, he must accept the reality that his administration has worn out its welcome and there's nothing he can do about it.

Neither voters nor candidates are looking for his guidance. His threat to continue forcing his strident voice into the proceedings is divisive, distracting and universally unwelcome.

Lingle would love to ignore her actual opponents and make the election a referendum on Cayetano. It obscures bothersome questions about her proposals.

How does she plan to pay for her land of milk and honey where taxes come down as government services and public worker salaries grow?

Cayetano grouses that the news media failed to critically analyze Lingle's plan, but he needs to be more patient. There's a long way to go in this election and careful analysis can't happen overnight.

The day Cayetano delivered his harshest attack on the media, this newspaper had a fair and comprehensive analysis of the education component of Lingle's plan.

It's time for Cayetano to meet the most difficult challenge any leader faces at career's twilight — to step aside gracefully and let others make their rightful succession.

I say this out of respect for Cayetano, because I faced the same frustrations when a disability forced me to step down from a high-profile job before I was ready to go.

I decided early that it was bad form to publicly criticize my successors. I had my day and they deserved to have theirs without me heckling from the cheap seats. Nor did I respond to grating criticism from disgruntled former subordinates I'd disciplined for lazy work and unethical conduct.

If you believe you left a good record behind, the best testament is to let it speak for itself.

Cayetano must grasp this if he cherishes his legacy. He's undefeated in three decades of elective politics, made it to the top of his profession and is respected for many important accomplishments.

Does he want to be remembered for this, or for a crude and ungracious exit from the stage?

David Shapiro can be reached by e-mail at dave@volcanicash.net.