Democrats challenged by mood at Capitol
| • | Lingle and Hawai'i begin transition |
| • | Photo gallery |
| • | Lee Cataluna: Sun shines on a new beginning |
| • | Hawai'i comments on its new governor |
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Highlights of yesterday's Linda Lingle inauguration address (RealPlayer required): High bandwidth, low bandwidth |
| • | Full text of Lingle's inauguration speech |
By Kevin Dayton
Advertiser Capitol Bureau Chief
From the conch shell blasts announcing the arrival of the new governor to the 19-gun salute and purple orchids that showered the crowd from State Capitol balconies, Republican Linda Lingle's supporters reveled in her historic rise to power yesterday.
Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser
But for the prominent Democrats attending the inaugural, it was another day spent awkwardly out of step with the crowd. Solemn-faced Democratic politicians seemed slightly pained as they pledged to work with the new administration.
Sarah Yacuk of Mililani sent praises skyward after Linda Lingle took her oath of office and became governor of Hawai‘i.
"It was time, I think," said Gov. Ben Cayetano after Lingle and Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona were sworn into office, transferring control of the state administration to Republicans for the first time since John Burns took office in 1962.
"All kinds of things came into play, but life goes in cycles," Cayetano said. "The Democrats had it for 40 years, before that the Republicans had it for 50 years. These things go in cycles, and in the end the people are the ones who decide. I think we had a great run."
For the crowd of thousands of well-wishers and supporters, yesterday was the gleeful payoff for years of work. Spectators at the back of the crowd abruptly pressed forward and stood on their toes as Lingle began to recite the oath of office, straining to catch the words.
They shouted their approval when she spoke the word "governor" as instructed by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Moon.
Attilio Leonardi, 5, jammed his fingers in his ears as the Army National Guard's 105 mm howitzers fired one blast after another in a salute to the new governor, counting each blast before he was lifted up with a video camera to tape the scene.
Fortunato Villafuerte, a Filipino World War II veteran who moved to Hawai'i in 1992, wore a barong and a Lingle-Aiona visor to watch the inauguration, confident a huge shift was taking place in Hawai'i politics.
Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser
"I think the Democrats are now going out," said Villafuerte, 82. "She knows how to deal with people."
The new governor walks in the procession before being sworn in. The first Republican head of state in 40 years, Lingle's ascent to power represents a change welcomed by many at the State Capitol yesterday.
Jan Bappe, 77, a retired nurse who volunteered on the Lingle campaign, said she believes Lingle and Aiona care about the less fortunate, and embody the "specialness" of Hawai'i that made her move here in 1948.
Bappe, who has lobbied at the Legislature for years for money for programs benefiting the poor and elderly, said she finally gave up on the Democratic Party.
There are people in the world who are suffering through no fault of their own, she said, and she believed they would find sympathy from the new governor.
"When they have somebody like that in back of them, there's hope," she said of Lingle and Aiona. "What I'm hearing today gives me the impression there's going to be somebody down with them to help them up. I think we all need a helping hand."
Bappe lingered on the fringes of the dwindling crowd long after the ceremonies were finished to try to snap an inaugural-day picture of Aiona.
Lingle's promises to improve schools and support and diversify the economy were viewed with a more skeptical eye by Democrats such as U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who wondered how Lingle would accomplish what she promised, given the tight state budget.
"Who doesn't want better schools? Who doesn't want more services? Who doesn't want to see criminals rehabilitated? Who doesn't want to see helplessness and hopelessness addressed? Now, having said that, how do you do it? I will be interested to see what she presents in her budget," Abercrombie said. "I will just be interested to see how the meat gets put on this bone."
Former Gov. John Waihee and U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka both disagreed that yesterday's events marked the beginning of the end of the Democratic Party in Hawai'i.
Waihee said the state was merely entering "an interlude" where the Democrats are not in power, while Akaka said yesterday's events would force the party into a period of reflection.
"It prompts the Democrats to regroup and rethink what has happened and about what should be done in the future, and come back with a new program," Akaka said. "I think it will be good for the Democrats and for Hawai'i."
Advertiser reporter Lynda Arakawa contributed to this report. Reach Kevin Dayton at kdayton@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.
Correction: Jan Bappe is a retired nurse who volunteered on Linda Lingle's gubernatorial campaign. Her name was misspelled in a previous version of this story.
