Posted on: Wednesday, July 7, 2004

Senator gives false name in order to query Dobelle

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

Is it state Sen. Fred Hemmings or Sonny from Kapolei?

Listeners of the KHVH afternoon radio program hosted by Mike Buck got a taste of both recently when it featured fired University of Hawai'i president Evan Dobelle. A caller identifying himself as "Sonny from Kapolei" asked Dobelle a pointed question on the air in a pidgin accent.

But after Dobelle questioned his identity, "Sonny" acknowledged that he was Hemmings and the senator and the fired president got into a brief debate.

"I love Freddie; I've known Freddie for 50 years," Buck said yesterday. "But he was way out of line with this."

Hemmings said he initially used a different persona to "spoof" Dobelle. He said Dobelle played the "I love Hawai'i card" and misrepresented facts.

Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo, Hawai'i Kai), said he wanted to "get the facts out." He said he used another name and a pidgin accent to "put a humorous spin on it."

Dobelle's lawyer, Rick Fried, said he advised Dobelle not to comment. The University of Hawai'i Board of Regents fired Dobelle on June 15.

During the radio show, which first aired June 25 and was rebroadcast Monday, Hemmings as "Sonny" questioned Dobelle about where he was the night the regents fired him.

"I'm interested in one thing, being a local boy and that's the truth too," Hemmings said. "Seems we got two stories now. First he was in Chicago, got in a car, was driving and then decided to drive home at two or three in the morning. And then five minutes later he went to the movie with his son. So I don't know how he can be doing both those things. What's the truth here?"

Dobelle apparently saw Buck's computer screen that had a message from the radio screener, Buck said. The screener said the caller sounded like Hemmings. Dobelle then interrupted Hemmings and said: "Is that Sonny or is that Fred? Is that you Fred? Fred, is that you?"

Hemmings responded: "Yeah, this is Fred. ... I'm sorry I had to be Sonny for a minute there but I'd like to know —"

"Fred, wait a minute," Dobelle interrupted. "Fred, I gotta understand something, Fred. Did you just call in the radio station and give them a false name?"

Hemmings said: "Yes, I did, because you wouldn't talk to me. Mike Buck told me before that you didn't want to air these issues, and I do want to air these issues."

Both men argued civilly for about another minute before Hemmings dropped from the line. Buck said some of Hemmings' constituents contacted him after the show and were upset with Hemmings' action. But Hemmings said "my intentions were forthright.

"Evan Dobelle was very adroitly playing the 'I love Hawai'i' local card," he said. "So I wanted to call in as a local boy."

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.