Posted on: Tuesday, November 2, 2004

By Lee Cataluna
Advertiser Columnist

Dan Inouye called the house the other day. He left a message saying who to vote for.

John Ashcroft called Sunday night during "Hawai'i Stars." Same message, different 'who.'

Duke Bainum has called three times already. At least.

The mailbox is full of cards revealing the "truth" about which candidate is a friend to criminals, terrorists and all manner of domestic and foreign enemies.

Come home from the Saturday trip to Longs to find hand-outs and pamphlets fluttering in the breeze like prayer flags; hanging off the doorknob, the front gate, the garbage can, and the ulua tails nailed to the garage.

On television, Mike Gabbard is singing the opening lines of "Hawai'i Aloha" that speak of being born in Hawai'i, though he was not. Then he talks about being raised Catholic, though for years, he was a student of Krishna.

In his campaign ad, Neil Abercrombie eschews his peacenik past and comes out as a strong supporter of the military. Inouye even vouches for him.

Mufi Hannemann tells us he likes '70s music. Bainum seems to have finally lost his broom.

And then there's the myriad e-mail malfeasance, where there are smears enough to go around twice.

As an O'ahu old-timer recently observed (in the middle of an unrelated conversation):

"So pilau this election. Top to bottom. Everybody talking about stuff in the past. Their past, somebody else's past. Everything all made up. Who cares? Tell me what you're going to do now. Tell me about your plans for the future. Doesn't anybody have any dignity?"

Dignity?! Dignity doesn't win elections, Pops.

Giddy sign-wavers who look like they've had too many Red Bulls do.

Foul whispers about your opponents do.

Playing to the darkest reaches of human paranoia and prejudice does.

And when all else fails, pretend to be somebody you're not and stand in front of the flag.

Then there's Hawai'i County Mayor Harry Kim.

In 2004, as in 2000, he refused to accept any campaign donation of more than $10. He kept his core campaign team limited to family. He did not raise any money for his re-election campaign during his four years as mayor.

Kim didn't send out glossy mailers. He didn't do the recorded phone calls during dinner time. He didn't ask the Big Guns to pose next to him and look all friendly. He basically asked folks to vote for him if they felt he deserved to serve another four years.

Said Kim, "If I had to spend a lot of money convincing people I did a good job, then I don't think I did a good job, because the record should speak for itself."

Harry Kim was re-elected on primary night by winning more than 50 percent of the vote.

So there. That's one.

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