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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, January 29, 2003

STATE OF THE UNION
Hawai'i viewers of Bush address want specifics

 •  Lingle, leaders mostly favorable to Bush speech
 •  Bush's Medicare plan met with praise, financial questions
 •  Speech turns up heat on Saddam
 •  President's speech at a glance
 •  Excerpts of Bush's address
 •  Editorial: Bush prepares U.S. for war — and tax cuts

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

President Bush punctuated his State of the Union address by building a case for war against Iraq, but the fact that he began by laying out domestic policy ideas didn't go unnoticed by some viewers in Hawai'i.

In his State of the Union address, President Bush asked the world to imagine if the 9/11 hijackers were armed by Saddam Hussein, saying one vial of a lethal virus could unleash a "day of horror like none we have ever known."

Associated Press

Residents of various backgrounds who agreed to discuss their thoughts with The Advertiser after listening to the president said he effectively delivered an idealistic message with promising goals.

But most said they found the speech lacking in detail about how the administration would carry out plans to overhaul Medicare, reduce taxes, create jobs, combat AIDS and protect the environment.

"He has great plans," said Kurumi Ka'apana-Aki, 45, a social studies teacher at Mililani Middle School and mother of seven, who voted for Bush. "But he doesn't have the foundation to get to achieving those plans."

Kurumi Ka'apana-Aki

A plan to commit $450 million to mentoring disadvantaged children of prisoners, for example, didn't specify where the federal government would get the money or how the program would be implemented, she said.

"It's a wonderful concept," Ka'apana-Aki said. "But how do you get to that ideal?"

A much-anticipated $674 billion package to revive the economy and a $400 billion, 10-year proposal to overhaul Medicare also failed to convince everyone.

"As a citizen, I'm looking for hard data," said Tony Locascio, 72, of Waikiki, a retired project manager for Boeing. "They're spinning this thing like fine silk."

Bush told Congress he wants to commit $15 billion in AIDS relief, $1.2 billion toward research for hydrogen-powered automobiles, $600 million for drug treatment programs and $450 million for a mentoring program for children of prisoners.

Crystal Carpenito
"But at the same time, he wants to cut taxes. That's good for us, but how is he going to support all those programs?" said Crystal Carpenito, 19, a liberal arts student at Kapi'olani Community College.

Most people expected President Bush to discuss at length his policy toward Iraq.

And they said that despite the president's appeals to patriotism, he didn't give enough information to convince Americans war with Iraq is absolutely necessary.

"There was nothing substantial," Locascio said. "I expected something on Iraq, but it's all fuzzy in my mind."

Some said Bush wasn't effective in persuading the public to support war.

Ka'apana-Aki said, "We need to strive for world peace, and the way to do it is respect for different cultures, different beliefs and different ways of life."

Others were more supportive.

"I feel that the president is taking every step and precaution to prevent war, and at the same time getting the job done to keep us safe," Carpenito said. "I don't believe that Saddam Hussein will change his state of mind, so war is upon us, in my opinion."

Joshua Reppun
Joshua Reppun, a Hawaiian studies and U.S. history teacher at La Pietra Hawai'i School for Girls, said it was his impression Bush was only looking for results and not focusing on causes.

"He doesn't look at the systemic issues," said Reppun, also a volunteer coordinator at the Suicide Crisis Center. "You're not going to solve Hawai'i's 'ice' problem with the use of mentors. You have to find out why these kids are using ice. It's too easy to get swayed by the power of delivery."

Tyler Atwell
One young student, 12-year-old Tyler Atwell, was disappointed that the president seemed to gloss over his educational priorities.

"I wish he talked about education more," said Atwell, a seventh-grader at Mililani Middle School. "Because the kids of America are going to be the people of tomorrow. If he could give us a better education, 20 or 30 years from now America will be a much better place."