Mayoral advertising
campaigns get startedHannemann and Bainum send
different messages in TV spots
The television campaign for Honolulu mayor is in full swing with former city councilmen Duke Bainum and Mufi Hannemann both running spots within the past week.
In the first political ads of the election season, Bainum touts his City Council record while Hannemann sends best wishes to Hawaii's "American Idol" contestants.
"This is certainly the open step," Bainum said.
The ads come a little early in the season, which doesn't traditionally see campaigns ratchet up until after the end of the legislative session and the city budget season.
Bainum was the first out with an ad intended to highlight his background as a physician as well as the issues he tackled as city councilman, including the Ewa Villages scandal.
"The message of honest change is so important and the people of Honolulu are so thirsty for a fresh start, I wanted to make sure everyone knows where I stand as soon as possible," Bainum said.
"We had a really strong message that we wanted to communicate and the timing was right now," campaign spokeswoman Phyllis Kihara said.
Bainum said that the ad has resulted in more volunteers joining his campaign and more people making donations.
Bainum rolled out a second TV spot Friday that uses a broom to symbolize what he plans to do if elected to the top spot at City Hall. "City Hall could use one of these to clean up city government," the ad says.
Hannemann's spot appeared on KHON-TV during Tuesday's "American Idol" show and during the news.
"It was a one-shot deal ... an opportunity to join with hundreds of thousands of island residents who are very proud of three people who are making an outstanding contribution representing Hawaii on a national stage," Hannemann said.
"It's given Hawaii people something that they can feel good about so we wanted him to be part of it and he thought it was a good idea, too," said Hannemann's media consultant, Lynne Waters.
While the ad was intended to salute Hawaii contestants Camile Velasco, Jonah Moananu and Jasmine Trias and didn't mention Hannemann's run for mayor, it was paid for by his campaign. Waters acknowledged that exposure to a large television audience was also a draw.
"It was an opportunity to remind people that he's running for mayor. He's been running for mayor since the last campaign and we wanted to let people know that he was still around and going strong," she said.
Hannemann said he believes it's too soon to be spending money full-on for political ads.
But both Bainum and Hannemann said they can see how some of their community service activities can also be viewed by others as political appearances.
Hannemann in recent months helped sponsor two town meetings to talk about issues surrounding the "ice" or crystal methamphetamine epidemic. He was pictured on large poster with Prosecutor Peter Carlisle and U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo.
Hannemann also has high visibility through the Pacific Century Fellows Program and his Women's Basketball Team Jamboree.
"Whether I were running for mayor or not, I'd be doing it anyway," Hannemann said. "People can call it campaigning because I am a political figure, but I am ... very much a part of the community."
Bainum's family foundation also pays for events that Bainum, a physician, participates in including giving flu shots in Chinatown.
"I take great care not to talk about politics when I'm doing a public service that's just not right," Bainum said. "When I was giving flu shots there in Chinatown, several people said, 'You're the guy running for mayor.' I say, 'Yes, but that's not why I'm there.' and I give 'em the shot."
The television ads also signal some of the issues that may crop up during the campaign season.
Hannemann questioned Bainum's claim in his first spot of "uncovering the Ewa Villages scandal," the city housing project that resulted in city employee Michael Kahapea being sentenced to prison for stealing nearly $6 million.
"I think he's trying to claim ownership of that issue, but I think if you talk to other council members that were there, they'll tell you that he doesn't have exclusive province on that issue," said Hannemann, who once was council chairman. "There's a lot of people that were involved in that."
But Bainum said he's not trying to take away anything from anyone else who helped bring the scandal to light.
He said his ad merely highlights his efforts to get financial information on the project, efforts which were rebuffed and which resulted in him losing his budget committee chairmanship. "That's an example of me standing up for what is right and paying the price," he said.
