To the greatest extent in recent memory, Hawai'i has the ear of Washington, D.C. — which means this is the time to make the message count.

As Mayor Mufi Hannemann pointed out Friday in his inaugural address, the election of Hawai'i-born Barack Obama coupled with the appointment of U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye to the chair of the ultra-powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, bodes well for Hawai'i.

Both men not only have an affinity for the Islands, but also a clear understanding of the state's needs and complexities beyond its status as a tourist mecca.

That has positioned us well on the national stage at the precise moment when a multibillion-dollar economic stimulus package, one that's expected to emphasize mass-transit projects, is about to take shape.

Parlaying this advantage by advocating solid improvements to local infrastructure — Honolulu's transit project in particular — should be Job One in the months ahead.

With the Islands facing an economic "perfect storm," it's critical to seize this moment to give economic recovery a healthy kickstart.

The near-collapse of the global financial system, with a cascade of ruinous developments in American industry, triggered job losses and fear of further layoffs — and have constrained travel spending. This is terrible for a state that depends as heavily on tourism as Hawai'i does.

Fortunately, there are now two national leaders holding great influence who understand Hawai'i's critical needs and are poised to direct the stimulus spending.

And when the push away from fossil fuels also is accelerating, it's prime time to make the pitch for Honolulu's planned $5.3 billion rail system. The proposal has weathered political bumps but has been near the front of the line for funding new starts.

City and state officials must show unity behind this project, a unity that was lacking during the contentious election season.

If Hawai'i wants to capitalize on its cachet in D.C., its leaders at home need to show they grasp the type of projects that represent the best use of stimulus funding: those that improve the capacity for stronger industry as the economy recovers.

Rail, as well as upgrades to harbors and airports, sit atop this list.

It also must include improvements to public housing, crucial in the Isle economy and decades overdue.

It is invaluable to have two power brokers who realize Hawai'i may have an exotic image but is a real place with critical challenges. But that advantage could be squandered easily by an uncoordinated, fractious approach to planning.

Washington is not likely to forget the 50th State in the next four years. It's up to us to make the most of that chance.