First lady's racism charge is totally unfounded

Much has been said -- absent the truth -- during the past several days concerning my welcoming Governor Cayetano to East Honolulu, based on his purchase of a $900,000 lot in Waialae Iki in mid-October. Permit me to set the record straight.

In a Nov. 5 Star-Bulletin article, pollster Don Clegg "thanked" me for assistance in Cayetano's victory, saying, "I think the Sam Slom ad that criticized the Cayetano family's purchase of land in Waialae Iki was a definite plus for us and lost her (Lingle) votes."

There was never a "Sam Slom ad." My statement regarding the Cayetanos' land purchase was released Oct. 30.

An organization placed an ad Nov. 1, raising the same issue, but it was in no way affiliated with, financed or connected to me or any organization I am involved with.

The Star-Bulletin never contacted me, nor gave me an opportunity to respond to Vicky Cayetano's emotional outburst at her hastily called press conference, when she made several unsubstantiated and false charges.

She maintains the idea for the land purchase -- at substantially below appraised market value -- and the money used for it was all hers, and that release of the information was an invasion of her privacy.

The public document listing the sale is available to anyone interested in real estate sales. It is not private nor an invasion of the disclosure required of all elected officials and their family holdings, and it listed only one name as owner: Benjamin J. Cayetano. A deed listed both names but no source of funds.

The most outrageous statement made by the first lady, however, was to accuse me of "racism," asking if I thought skin color should keep the Cayetanos from living in Waialae.

This is political pandering at its worst. I welcomed the Cayetanos, saying they could choose to live anywhere but picked East Oahu, a beautiful, multicultural, multiethnic district, where people of many skin colors live and work side by side. The issue involves finance, propriety of the transaction and honest disclosure -- not racism.

Any who know me, or my two eldest sons of Korean-Chinese heritage, know that a charge of racism is solely politically or maliciously motivated. It is tough to stand against the status quo in this community and to raise legitimate issues, but no political victory can be justified by knowingly hurling inflammatory and false accusations.

Sen. Sam Slom
8th District (R)

Supporters count on governor to come through

It is good that Governor Cayetano appears to be heeding the wake-up call sent to the Democratic Party. The only reason that I voted for him rather than Linda Lingle is that I cannot stomach the national agenda of the Republican Party.

The "old boy network" must go, the Democratic Party must become more responsive to the people instead of deep-pocketed special interests, and it must understand as we move into the 21st century that support for education does not end at high school. The last thing that should be occurring is abuse of the UH system, such as recently occurred, so that Hawaii can realize its potential as a hub of information technology.

John Coleman
(Via the Internet)

Democrats didn't stay awake for long

After declaring last week's general election a "wake-up call" for the state Democratic Party, it has taken just five days for the Democratic leaders to hit the snooze button.

Ben Cayetano: "Democrats must make the party stronger rather than make fundamental changes in government."

Rep. Alex Santiago: "The (state) House needs to do a better job communicating with the public."

Walter Heen: "The party has to reassess itself."

Joe Souki: "There was no message."

Some wake-up call! The snoring may continue, but the diagnosis is in: Hawaii's economy suffers from sleep apnea. If something meaningful isn't done soon, we're going to stop breathing and suffer irreversible brain damage.

I can only hope that somehow, amid this posturing by Democratic spin doctors, some steps will actually be taken to bring Hawaii out of this nightmarish economic slumber.

Bob Dusendschon
Aiea
(Via the Internet)

Somebody wake up House Speaker Souki

Our honorable speaker of the House doesn't believe the voters want change? I voted for a Republican candidate (several, actually) for the first time in my life in this election.

While Ben is hearing a wake-up call, what is Souki hearing? I suspect that all he hears is a snooze alarm.

Larry Solomon
Kaneohe
(Via the Internet)

Cayetano didn't hear resounding 'Yes' vote

Weren't our voices loud enough? Didn't the numbers won by Save Traditional Marriage represent the people's wants? Why is Governer Cayetano now catering to homosexuals just days after winning the election, when his initial statement was for traditional marriage?

Why now is he changing his platform? Was his initial platform a ploy to capture the majority vote?

We were initially relieved by the fact that Cayetano understood the implications of a close race. He admitted to a need for change. There was actually a glimmer of a silver lining for Hawaii, and that's past tense.

My family and I moved from the Far East for a better life in America. We own a small business, have a couple of local employees and have never been on welfare nor will we ever be. We elected Cayetano because we thought he knew what it meant to struggle and the meaning of family values. Boy, we messed up.

Andrea Chen
(Via the Internet)

Long lines may have discouraged voters

Several of my co-workers, discouraged by long "after work" voting lines, opted not to vote last Tuesday. One may argue that the absence of these discouraged would-be voters had no effect on the election, that these voters would choose candidates similar to the voting population as a whole. But think again.

Many of our state workers had the day off. The voters in these long "after work" lines were more likely private-sector workers. As a group, private-sector workers will most likely vote differently than state workers. How these would-be voters would have actually voted will remain a mystery.

But our governor would do well to consider how he may have benefited from these long lines just in case he misses the message of those who did not support his campaign.

Kevin Floyd
Aiea
(Via the Internet)

GOP has mastered a losing strategy in Hawaii

Once again, a shoo-in Republican gubernatorial candidate manages to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Here's a 10-point plan to do it again in 2002:

1. Establish campaign headquarters in a neighborhood where supporters look like they're lost or afraid to be there.

2. Show off your budgeting ability by running out of money before your campaign peaks.

3. Allow loose cannons in your campaign team to make unsupportable accusations against your opponent that are later retracted, but with no apology.

4. Eagerly accept "support" from respected smear victims like Cec Heftel.

5. If the wretched economy is an issue, make sure more of your supporters driving Mercedes and Range Rovers proudly display your bumper stickers.

6. Encourage Sam Slom to continue his U.S. Sen. D'Amato imitations. Local people think such brash behavior is so cute.

7. During televised debates, espouse carefully rehearsed generalities instead of answering the questions. Voters aren't looking for a clear vision.

8. After a debate, have a supporter tell reporters your opponent is a "dolt" because of his speaking style and hope that other local folks won't think the slur applies to them, too.

9. Secure a religious right candidate as your running mate.

10. Or perhaps you can try astrologer Crystal Young as your running mate.

Kenneth Saiki
(Via the Internet)

Fasi helped Cayetano stay at Washington Place

Once again, Frank Fasi made a difference. How? Getting Ben Cayetano re-elected. I'm glad that Ben thanked Frank and his supporters, because he couldn't have done it without them.

Ed Lee

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