By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

Ed Case built his campaign on a message of change.

Here's a message for Ed as he closes up shop and takes down road signs: Don't change.

On Saturday night, when the third print out of election results were released at 11:30, it was a matter of "so close, but yet so far" for the Case camp.

"You've sent a message to this whole state," Case told the crowd at his campaign headquarters, "and this message is going to be heard for years and years to come."

Case was grinning as he gave his concession speech. If you were watching him and not listening, you might have thought he had won.

"There would have to be a pretty big turn-around for us to win right now," Case told his supporters, "so we're going to do what I think is the right thing to do. We're going to walk that long walk — that I've walked before as a politician, by the way — and we're going to go down to see Mazie and we're going to congratulate her."

There were gasps from the crowd at this point, but Case continued with aplomb.

"But Mazie, don't get too anxious. I know you're watching me right now, OK? If on the way from here to your office, things change, then I want you to turn around and walk back here with me. Is that a deal, Mazie?"

It's that last line that's worrisome.

The last thing Ed Case should be doing is cutting deals with Mazie Hirono. He had to concede the election but shouldn't make any more concessions to someone who represents all the things he said need to be changed.

Down the road at her campaign headquarters, Mazie Hirono, who must have made countless speeches during her political career and certainly hundreds during her gubernatorial/mayoral/gubernatorial campaign, gave her acceptance speech from cue cards held up for her in the audience. Two of the cards read:

"Hawaii's new economy will also demand a more aggressive approach to improving our educational system."

"I will honor our teachers, give them the tools to teach, and make sure our kids have a healthy learning environment."

Mazie needed cue cards to remember to talk about the economy and education? Sure, not everyone has been blessed with the smooth oratorical style of Linda Lingle or the snappy impromptu riffs of Andy Anderson, but it seemed like in trying to say what she thought all those people who voted for change wanted to hear, Mazie couldn't quite remember what that might be.

Maybe Case was smiling because he knew it isn't over for him. His showing certainly made a case for Case, and maybe now the Democratic party will pay closer attention to him.

It would be nice if the party embraced him. It would be awful if, in that process, it changed him.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.