By David Shapiro

A new Hawai'i resident I once knew from a Democratic administration in Washington, D.C., is aghast at our moribund Democratic primary for governor.

"No one seems to be making any strong policy initiatives," he said. "The three Democrats don't seem to have a clue on how to define themselves or make any dent in the media. Pretty pathetic. We are a month from a primary and it's all quiet on the front."

Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, D.G. "Andy" Anderson and state Rep. Ed Case are competing in near-obscurity for a nomination that won't be worth much if they can't jack up the energy heading into the general election against Republican Linda Lingle, who's projecting a potent message of change.

Democrats have crippled themselves with self-destructive distractions.

Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, facing legal troubles over his campaign finances, held the campaign in limbo for two months as he waffled on whether to run. He finally dropped out, saying he didn't think he could beat Lingle. By implication, the message was that no other Democrat could either.

The remaining candidates generated little enthusiasm, and the race stalled another two months to July's candidate filing deadline, amid speculation that a big-name Democrat would enter the race. Former Gov. John Waihee, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and banker Walter Dods all declined.

Then Gov. Ben Cayetano stole the spotlight from the Democratic candidates by picking his own fight with Lingle, and U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye doused what little spark the campaign had by leaning on candidates not to criticize each other.

Democratic candidates have found money scarce and must campaign under a cloud of corruption in which several prominent Democrats have gone to prison and more are under indictment or investigation.

Lingle, meantime, barrels along with a focused, professional campaign. Her agenda, "A New Beginning," is a clear and concise vision for Hawai'i, timed for good media attention and reinforced by effective TV ads.

Hirono campaigns on platitudes — she works with unions, she believes in public education — and offers little clue of policy initiatives she would pursue. The others don't challenge her because of Inouye's "play nice" rule.

Anderson offers novel ideas and invokes the legacy of the late John A. Burns. But many Democrats aren't buying that the former Republican leader has any right to claim that legacy.

Case has the greatest upside potential with his reform agenda, but can't get his campaign untracked. He last made news by apologizing to Hawaiians for one of his biggest legislative initiatives — a proposed trust to merge the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

Democrats carp that Lingle won't join their debates, as though she's obligated to offer herself as a prop to enliven their dreary theater. She'll be there to debate after the party picks her opponent. In the meantime, Democrats owe it to voters to clarify the choices by seriously debating each other.

Inouye's apparent strategy is to slog through the primary with little discord, then try to unite the party behind the winner with an all-out scare campaign against Lingle. It worked in 1998, when Cayetano came from behind to defeat Lingle by 5,000 votes.

But this time, Democrats aren't running a well-financed incumbent governor with all factions of the party behind him. Even Inouye can't charm unions into backing Case and his platform of government cutbacks — or inspire Case's reform-minded supporters to muster enthusiasm for Hirono or Anderson.

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