CINDY ELLEN RUSSELL / CRUSSELL@STARBULLETIN.COM
Former White House adviser Karen Hughes endorsed Republican candidate for governor Linda Lingle yesterday at a breakfast held at the Sheraton-Waikiki.
Bush aide campaigns Karen Hughes, described as the most powerful woman ever to serve as a White House adviser, spent yesterday in Honolulu, promoting Republican Linda Lingle and raising funds for the GOP campaign.
for Lingle
Karen Hughes says a GOP governor would
be an asset for native Hawaiian issuesBy Richard Borreca and Pat Omandam
rborreca@starbulletin.com | pomandam@starbulletin.comHughes, who resigned as senior counselor to President Bush in April to spend more time with her family, was the guest of honor at breakfast, lunch and dinner fund-raisers for Lingle and the GOP. Hughes supported Lingle's candidacy, including the former GOP Maui mayor's ability to move forward native Hawaiian recognition legislation in Congress.
She said native Hawaiians would have better representation in Washington with a governor of the same political party as the president.
Asked about Hawaiians' claims that Hawaii should elect a Democratic governor, Hughes said: "The reverse is true. The status quo has resulted in a failure of Washington to hear much about the issue of native Hawaiian issues.
"I think Linda Lingle is a very articulate spokesman who will be very effective in raising attention to native Hawaiian issues. I know that Secretary of Interior Gail Norton has written Linda and indicated she is more than willing to discuss these issues with her."
Earlier yesterday, Democrats Clayton Hee, Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee; attorney Robert Klein, a retired Hawaii Supreme court justice; and attorney Bill Meheula held a news conference to emphasize to voters that if Lingle becomes governor, movement on native Hawaiian rights issues will lapse.
"If Linda Lingle is going to become governor, we are not going to obtain major reparations for damages," Meheula said.
Hee, who lost his bid for lieutenant governor last month to Matt Matsunaga, said Democrats, both locally and in the Clinton administration, have stood by native Hawaiians. He questions whether President Bush will show the same support, given his father's presidential administration had stated the United States had no trust obligation to Hawaiians.
"When Linda Lingle said she can better move the Akaka bill, the question is, why hasn't she?" Hee said.
But Republicans like Duke Aiona, GOP lieutenant gubernatorial candidate, said he's disappointed Democrats would use Hawaiian issues to drive a wedge between the Hawaiian people and himself. This is a time for all Hawaiians to unite, he said.
"It is important to note the Akaka bill does not enjoy unanimous support from the native Hawaiian community," Aiona said. "However, if indeed it is a Republican president, or senators or representatives who are blocking the Akaka bill, do you really think that Mazie Hirono and Matt Matsunaga are the people to convince them to change their position?"
Although formally working with the Republican National Committee, Hughes is still in close contact with Bush. For instance, she attended the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum last week in Mexico with Bush and was also at Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, before that. The president, Hughes said, is watching and is closely interested in the Hawaii race for governor.
"President Bush thinks this is an important race because he thinks there is a lot of significant reform that Linda Lingle can bring to the people of Hawaii," Hughes said.
Earlier in the day, Hughes was the guest of honor as a breakfast rally at the Sheraton-Waikiki. Lingle joked that she looked all over the country for a woman speaker who was taller than her 5-foot-9-inch height and she finally found it with Hughes, who appears to be an inch taller.
Republicans offered the visit by Hughes during the same week that former President Clinton is expected to tour the state. Although cut down to only one day, Clinton's visit is expected to feature stops on all four major islands tomorrow.
The major Clinton event will be a union rally at the Blaisdell Center tomorrow at 5:30 p.m.
