He may be relatively slight in stature, but Neil Abercrombie has a commanding presence—and a very firm handshake. Meeting him for the first time, the former U.S. Representative and current gubernatorial candidate exudes a remarkable sense of calm—a striking contrast from the tenor of this election season, which has all but reached a fever pitch.
Yet, his relaxed demeanor may come as no surprise, as Abercrombie is no stranger to public office. His resume includes time served as a state representative (1975–1979); state senator (1979–1986); Special Assistant to the Superintendent of Education; a Honolulu City Councilmember (1988-1990); and a U.S. Congressman, representing Hawai‘i’s 1st Congressional District for 10 terms.
In March 2010, Abercrombie announced he would not be returning for an 11th term in Washington, D.C. Instead, he announced, his sights—and, most of all, his heart—were set on the Office of the Governor in Honolulu. It was a decision he had pondered for some time, and today, he is convinced it was the right choice.
Regardless of the outcome, the former congressman said this is the last public office he will seek. Abercrombie’s passion for Hawai‘i and its people spans several decades. In 1959, the Buffalo, N.Y. native boarded a flight to O‘ahu—just one month after statehood—to attend the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. As he disembarked the airplane at Honolulu International Airport, Abercrombie said he was immediately transfixed by the “aloha spirit”—and he has been enchanted by it ever since. “It was magic,” he recalled. “The idea of ‘aloha’ is easily absorbed… everyone in the world, no matter where you go, has a vision of ‘aloha,’ and Hawai‘i, that brings a smile to their faces.”
Years later, armed with a master’s degree in sociology and a Ph.D. in American studies, Abercrombie moved to the head of the class—literally—as an elementary school teacher and, soon thereafter, a college lecturer. His time in the classroom is just one of many reasons why education is a fundamental concern—and a central plank in his political platform.
“The consequences and implications [of Hawai‘i’s education system] are at the core of my campaign,” said Abercrombie. “It’s a natural fit, as I’m the only educator running.”
His brow furrowed, he spoke of the ill effects of Furlough Fridays—something that would never have occurred under his leadership as governor, he said. “I care deeply and passionately about education. We’ve been putting budgets first and values last for too long… and I intend to change that.”
Upon hearing of Hawai‘i being selected as a winner in “Race to the Top” school reform competition last week, Abercrombie said, “It is a proud day for Hawai‘i… ‘Race to the Top’ reforms are part of the comprehensive education plan that I released in April. Now that we know they will be funded, we can ensure that principals, teachers, parents and students have the proper support, incentives, tools, expectations, and authority to make their schools great.” More importantly, he said, “Our ‘Race to the Top’ team has given us all a reason to believe that a new day really is coming for Hawai‘i—one where everyone works through differences for the common good [and] if given the honor of being Hawai‘i’s next governor, I will work closely with the Obama administration to make sure our ‘Race to the Top’ plan is implemented.”
And today, Abercrombie has entered his own “Race to the Top”—a perceptibly heated political contest marked by a series of fiery accusations flooding airwaves and mailboxes across the state. As the clock ticks down to the Primary Election on Saturday, Sept. 18, the gubernatorial race has become increasingly adversarial, as the frontrunners vying for the Democratic nomination—Abercrombie and former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann—hope to advance to the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 2, where the winner will most likely face off against the leading Republican candidate, Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona.
In response to the negative campaigning dominating the headlines, particularly a highly controversial flier, which he said attempts to malign his experience and education, and acknowledging his most significant accolade—as the winner of the Lahaina Whaling Days Beard Contest—Abercrombie said, “This brochure is not information. It’s the latest example of Mufi Hannemann’s negative campaign style… the people don’t want it, and I’m calling him on it.”
When asked what would be first on his agenda if elected Hawai‘i’s chief executive, he smiled and said, “I’ll start working to fulfill all 378 of my promises.”
It may sound like a daunting task, but Abercrombie said that’s exactly what he has set out to do since he became a voice for Hawai‘i three decades ago. Leaning back in his chair, he recalled the day he first saw his own name on the office door in Washington, D.C., 10 years ago.
“The name on the door was validation that I was working there, but I knew it still wasn’t my office… it belonged to the people of Hawai‘i,” he said. “It was only mine as long as I could retain their trust and faith.”
If he is elected governor of Hawai‘i, Abercrombie assured he would act according to that same sentiment.
“It’s a new way and a new day in Hawai‘i,” he said, “and it begins in this election.”
Former Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann: “No county will be left behind.”
Many residents of Hawai‘i’s most populous city have looked up to their Harvard-educated leader—literally—since he entered the mayoral office in 2005.
Stately, native-born businessman and government leader Mufi Hannemann demonstrated a keen intellect and quiet confidence during an interview at his Maui headquarters last week, as he addressed issues regarding his current run for the governor’s office.
The former Honolulu mayor will face former U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie in Sept. 18’s Democratic primary election.
Hannemann accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments during his two terms as mayor, some of which he outlined in a recent controversial mailer. He said it was regrettable some took his recent flier “the wrong way,” since it was not his intention to “delineate racial differences,” he said. “I apologize if they felt offended by it,” he said, defending his goal to “present facts” and outline experience.
Hannemann said he is running for governor because there are certain policies and decisions made by Gov. Linda Lingle’s administration that he does not agree with.
One issue is O‘ahu’s rail initiative, which he said is “ready to go” but still “sitting on her desk.” He said that by not taking action, Gov. Lingle is standing in the way of thousands of jobs.
“The EIS that wasn’t done for the Superferry was completed for this project,” Hannemann said. Although he wants to try to restore the inter-island system—but with more public input and a proper EIS—he admitted there are “some tough hurdles that need to be overcome.”
Although Hannemann said his opponent has been telling Neighbor Islanders that they are going to have to pay for rail, “This tax is coming completely out of O‘ahu taxpayers’ pockets,” he said.
The most important issue of Hanneman’s campaign is the creation of jobs. “Jobs, jobs, jobs,” he said. “Day one, job one will be to put people back to work.
“If you’re not putting people back to work, if businesses don’t have opportunities, if hotel rooms are not filled… there will be less money to fund vital public services,” he said. “There will be less money to restore the education system—which has become an embarrassment in the country—and there will be less assistance for the counties to be able do their jobs.”
Hannemann intends to use a “CEO approach” as governor. “This is a job that requires some management experience,” he said. “You’re an administrator; you’re not a legislator where you go aye, nay.”
Concerning education, Hannemann said, “The system needs help and improvement.” The superintendent and the president of the University of Hawai‘i have to be full-fledged members of the cabinet, he said. “Right now, they’re the Rodney Dangerfields of the cabinet.”
Hannemann said Gov. Lingle should not have “raided special funds” to end Furlough Fridays. He said “you have to run the educational system budget like a business,” and plans to “do a top-to-bottom management review of state government in general.”
That’s how he ran Honolulu, he said, and “it resulted in eliminating wasteful spending, inefficiencies in government, and also identify cost savings.” His opponent, he added, “doesn’t quite understand how CEOs approach business.”
Hannemann said he knows how to get federal funding and put community meetings together. He added that Hawai‘i needs to be more courageous about getting “stalled projects moving”—especially infrastructure. “The longer delay, the more you’re going to pay,” he said. “Time is money, and I would like to ‘automate the state’ when it comes to the permitting process, just as O‘ahu has.”
He touched on tourism’s vitality, particularly the need to “continue to promote in Asia” and to make sure marketing strategies apply to all isles.
Hannemann seeks “repeat visitors” and wants to showcase Hawai‘i as “a great place to do business, and not just to visit.” He stressed the importance of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting, a prestigious international event to be held in Honolulu in November 2011. (See the editorial on page 4.)
Hannemann does not support House Bill 444, “as it was written,” but agrees it’s necessary to extend some benefits to same-sex couples. “I don’t support gay marriage, as I see it as a conundrum to traditional marriage,” he said. “But, I am willing to do everything else to make sure these citizens are treated fairly.”
Regarding Maui residents’ concerns of an ever-increasing O‘ahu-centric state government, Hannemann said, “The proof in the poi is how I have led… I have worked very closely with your mayor and your key legislators… so there has been an ongoing Maui [County] presence.”
He highlighted the success Hawai‘i’s mayors had when they united to retain county transient accommodation taxes (TAT). Collaborative efforts such as these are essential to our future, he said.
His campaign slogan “Imagine,” references the potential “we can accomplish with our governor, the legislature and all our mayors finally working together.”
“I’m the only one running who has actually lived and worked on a Neighbor Island,” he said of his time on Hawai‘i Island, “so I have a Neighbor Island sensitivity.”
“No county will be left behind,” he said.
For more on Hannemann’s “10-Point Economic Action Plan,” visit mufihannemann.com.
