Gov faults Gov. Ben Cayetano had some tough words yesterday for the two major candidates trying to succeed him.
would-be successors
Cayetano says Hirono needs
to get specific and Lingle's ideas
sound like a publicist'sBy Bruce Dunford
Associated Press
Cayetano accused Republican gubernatorial candidate Lingle of using ideas from public relations experts. He also said Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, the Democratic nominee, needs to get away from simply repeating generalities about making changes in state government.
Lingle is handing out a 25-page booklet entitled "Agenda for a New Beginning," laying out plans on everything from dropping the taxes on food and medical services to auditing all state finances. It has her position on several issues, including plans for two privately funded drug treatment prisons to treat convicted drug addicts.
Cayetano, while criticizing the Lingle plan, said also that Hirono has to get specific.
"I think the advice now is to tell the people what kind of specific ideas she has, because she has been part of the executive branch for eight years and she knows and agrees with some of the things that we've done and she is going to carry them out and finish it," he said when asked about Hirono's campaign.
Cayetano said he thinks Lingle's failure to take specific stands in the 1998 general election campaign helped him defeat her.
"Now she's trying to be specific, but you know when you look at a plan that's devised by a public relations person as opposed to a plan that's devised by the candidate himself or herself and backed up by good research," he said. "There's a difference."
Lingle campaign spokesman Lloyd Yonenaka responded by saying Lingle had gathered information from a number of sources before "putting it down on paper."
On Monday, Hirono was asked by reporters about specific proposals she'll be making in her campaign against Lingle.
"The message is about change," she said. "I've been talking about that. It's really a question about who can effect the change. And my message from the very beginning has been that with my experience, my style of leadership, I am the person to effect positive changes," she said.
She was asked what was going to change.
"How are we going to grow our economy? How are we going to improve education? I have some very specific ideas about that, and it's really not just the ideas, but who can actually bring the people together to make those changes," Hirono said, stressing her experience.
Cayetano said he has advised Hirono to tell the people what specific ideas she has, such as having the university medical school and research center in Kakaako serve as a catalyst for growth in the biotech and health care industry.
The medical school and research center for which ground will be broken next month was the only thing Hirono mentioned at the Monday news conference when reporters pressed her for her specific ideas.
University of Hawaii political science professor Neal Milner said Hirono's campaign appears to be "one without a mission."
"She has had eight years in the state administration to take on some important issues and it's really too late for her to do that now," he said.
Lingle, meanwhile, must remain highly visible in the campaign, "both running as the front runner and running scared" against the Democrats' proven ability to mount a late charge, Milner said.
