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Inouye blasts Bush
at Big Isle rally

ELECTION COVERAGE ONLINE

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By Rod Thompson
Star-Bulletin

HILO -- During the Vietnam War, Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush joined the National Guard, yet he never attended a Guard meeting and obtained an early, honorable discharge so he could attend Harvard Business School, U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye told fellow Democrats last night.

Inouye questioned whether Bush is suited to be commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The occasion for Inouye's comments was the traditional Democratic Party pre-election Grand Rally. Inouye noted that he had attended the rally on the Big Island 26 times since 1948.

A Bush victory would allow him to appoint three Supreme Court justices, thereby threatening Hawaiian sovereignty, civil rights and abortion rights, Inouye said.

In addition to criticizing Bush, Inouye and other Democrats tried to boost the chances of Big Island mayoral candidate Fred Holschuh.

Inouye noted that Holschuh is trailing in polls, but said Holschuh is a good organizer, a good administrator, and a person with compassion.

In his own remarks, Holschuh stuck to his campaign theme, that as a doctor, he knows it is better to prevent diseases -- or social problems -- than to try to cure them.

He also referred to his recently released "Plan for Responsible Change," saying its points include job creation, support for the visitor industry, and making government accessible to the people.

U.S. Rep. Patsy Mink said Democrats under Bill Clinton and Al Gore created a surplus, which George W. Bush wants to give to the rich, she said.