An isle organizing effort has sprouted to garner support for Elizabeth Dole's bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Meyer, Thielen
seek supporters of
Elizabeth DoleState Reps. Colleen Meyer (R, Kahaluu) and Cynthia Thielen (R, Kailua) are co-chairwomen of Dole's "Hawaii Leadership team," and they will be recruiting and organizing volunteers.
The launching of the Dole effort brings to three the number of GOP presidential hopefuls with organizing efforts under way in Hawaii. Two months ago, supporters of Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Sen. John McCain of Arizona kicked off their drives.
Meyer and Thielen said they support Dole because she is "a leader, moderator and consensus builder." Dole's biggest draw, they added, is her "unquestioned character and integrity."
Dole, who headed the American Red Cross, is married to former U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole, the Kansas Republican who lost the 1996 presidential election to Bill Clinton.
MINK VICTORY: The U.S. women's soccer team victory over China has even affected Rep. Patsy Mink, who is serving her 12th term in Congress.
On the floor of the House last week, Mink was given a soccer ball by a fellow Democrat, Rep. Carolyn Maloney of New York.
In 1972, Mink, along with then-Rep. Edith Green, an Oregon Democrat, authored the landmark Title IX legislation, the bill of rights for women in education and sports which mandated gender equity.
NEW TOY: President Clinton, who has twice vacationed in the isles as president, last week used his love of Hawaii to bail himself out of a rather sticky predicament.
It seems the Israeli press had made a big deal out of his earlier statement that he was as "eager as a kid with a new toy" to meet new Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak, suggesting the president was patronizingly referring to Barak as a "toy."
He meant no such thing, said Clinton, when asked about the comment at a joint news conference here with Barak.
"If I were taking a trip to Hawaii, I might say I'm as excited as a kid with a new toy," explained the president. "Doesn't mean I think Hawaii's a toy, if you see what I mean. ... It means I am very excited about the prospect of the rejuvenation of the peace process, and that's all it means."