Post-election Notes To Political Players

Memo to: Pat Saiki, GOP State Chair woman

Did you have a moment last Tuesday when you wished you were a Democrat? When you realized you’re stuck again with eight state House members and one senator? Not very heartening after all your work.

Republicans can get elected in Hawaii but they need more social liberalism in their quivers. I’m thinking the late Sen. Hiram Fong, and Gov. Linda Lingle before she vetoed civil unions in 2010 and started her legacy on a downhill path. Your shining hope this election, Richard Fale, ran afoul of North Shore resistance to development, and even his solid backing in Mormon Laie couldn’t save him.

Duke Aiona and Elwin Ahu came across as too “churchy” and kept talking about “the cause.” Their spokeswoman Dawn O’Brien said, “We believe in miracles,” but all the miracle workers were occupied last Tuesday swinging elections for Republican senators and governors on the Mainland.

Memo to: Walter Ritte, Anti-GMO Activist

It ain’t over until it’s over. That Maui GMO ban barely squeaked through with 50.2 percent and will now face a lawsuit saying only the state and federal government can regulate pesticides, herbicides and GMOs. Your bare majority is flying in the face of both science and legalities.

The status quo mayors of both Maui and Kauai were easily re-elected. So were the two councilmen most opposed to the amendment, while anti-GMOer Gary Hooser barely made the cut.

That so many Mauians flew in the face of good science on the GMO issue troubles me. That’s also flying in the face of farming, and maybe that’s the key. Mauians hardly ever seem to see a development plan they do not like.

Memo to: Mark Platte, News Director, HNN

You really should consider a change of election-night analyst on KGMB/KFVE/KHNL. That professor Colin Moore comes across very zombie-like, and he mostly mouths opinions written by others in the Star-Advertiser rather than displaying original research: The key races will be tight (they were not) and “we’ll have to just wait and see.”

I miss Dan Boylan and his edgy analysis. Yes, he’s identified as a liberal Democrat and his son worked for a Democrat candidate in the Primary, but the man has original insight and is far, far from being a zombie on air.

Memo to: Chuck Parker, News Director, KITV

The most improved on-air political interviewer this year is Brooks Baehr, a former KGMB reporter, football commentator and your assignment editor. He totally did his homework last Tuesday in preparation for quizzing guests Colleen Hanabusa and Dylan Nonaka.

First-rate work. Give that man a raise!

Mufi Hannemann FILE PHOTO

Memo to: Mufi Hannemann, Independent Party

It’s probably time for you to get a 9-to-5 job that will keep you satisfied until retirement. Losing three back-to-back elections consigns a politician to political purgatory while we divine if he should have won because he won the debates but not the voters’ hearts and minds.

And who would donate for a Run No. 4?

Also, you’d have to shed supporters such as SHOPO’s Tenari Maafala. I think his recent intemperate rant against the city’s citizenry likely cost you some votes, although your 12 percent was right on the mark of what recent polls had shown.

Do you ever wish you’d stayed on two more years as mayor before jumping into a new race?

Are you puzzled why fewer than 43,000 people voted for you? I am. I agree that you handily won the debates and put forward the most comprehensive plans for governance — plus your enthusiasm for bringing back our much-needed interisland ferry. But, for some reason, you just didn’t connect. It sure didn’t help that you had a bland unknown running as your second-in-command.

Oh, thanks for the train!

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