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Changing Hawaii
THE Ward Avenue headquarters of the Democratic Party of Hawaii is not a jolly place this holiday season. Never mind its location right above the usually raucous Dixie Grill restaurant or next door to the Keep On Dancing dance studio. Democrats wait,
pray and worryIn this longtime Democratic-controlled state, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas goes by the name of George W. Bush.
Not so fast, brah. You nevah win yet, say Hawaii Democrats.
Their faith in the GoreLieberman ticket has remained steadfast since moving into their new second-floor offices in April.
Since then, party chief Walter Heen, wife Norma and brother Ernest Jr. have kept the political hangout bustling with activity.
Beside local electioneering duties, volunteers gathered to watch the presidential debates and sign-wave outside the state Capitol and at University of Hawaii football games.
Then, on the night of Nov. 7, party stalwarts assembled and stared at the TV screen as returns trickled in. When mainland news anchors prematurely reported a Bush win, some Dems went home.
The thought of this country being led by both a GOP president and Congress was way too depressing.
Their hope was renewed the next morning, though, when the Florida tally was deemed too close (and quirky) to call.
That's when public comments started streaming into local Democratic headquarters -- relentlessly, emotionally and painfully partisan.
The telephone's jangling continues to this day, with the majority of messages from true-blue Dems urging the party to stand fast.
"Tell Gore not to give up," they plead. Some say that they pray for the vice president nightly, or ask what can be done to help in the national fight.
On the flip side are the antagonistic jabs, presumably from Bush backers in Hawaii.
They've become increasingly testy over the past few weeks, volunteers like 72-year-old Evie Paresa report, spewing things like, "Give it up -- your man lost," and "Tell Al Gore he's destroying this country!"
Usually, says Heen, he lets them vent until they hang up. Other feisty workers, ranging from 70-year-old Nancy Bey Little to 22-year-old Ann Yamasaki, dive into full-blown debates with them -- mainly trying to point out that because Gore won the popular vote, he has a responsibility to demand an accurate count in Florida.
Among themselves, they lament the unscrupulous forces at work in that sorry place, fume over the opposition's demonization of their man, and worry that a mental midget might soon take up where Ronald Reagan left off...
CLEARLY, Hawaii's Democrats are trying not to panic. But a Republican president would be bad news for the 2002 gubernatorial race in the islands. GOP Chairwoman Linda Lingle was almost victorious two years ago and is itching for a rematch.
Meanwhile, on the Democratic side, at least three major candidates will be vying for the nomination, which could be potentially divisive if the primary gets vicious.
With so much on the line, the Dems wait and watch the national race with trepidation -- voraciously reading the newspapers, nervously monitoring CNN and hoping for a Christmas miracle that will drive the Grinch from his coveted White House.
During this festive time -- at least in room 201 above the Dixie Grill, next door to the Keep On Dancing dance studio -- there is no joy or peace of mind. Just a whole lotta angst.
Diane Yukihiro Chang's column runs Monday and Friday.
She can be reached by phone at 525-8607, via e-mail at
dchang@starbulletin.com, or by fax at 523-7863.