Mufi does it again in Debate: “Screaming, yelling, ranting, raving, finger pointing, name-calling” Abercrombie: I am Dan Inouye

Hawai'i Free Press

Friday, August 6, 2010

Mufi does it again in Debate: “Screaming, yelling, ranting, raving, finger pointing, name-calling” Abercrombie: I am Dan Inouye
By Selected News Articles @ 1:46 PM :: 10528 Views :: Democratic Party, Politicians

Here are excerpts from today’s news:

Mufi AGAIN: “Screaming, yelling, ranting, raving, finger pointing, name-calling” Abercrombie: I am Dan Inouye

KITV: "You can't know the private sector if you haven't had a job in the private sector for over 40 years. I've worked for C. Brewer and Company, I understand the private sector," Hannemann said.

Abercrombie responded, saying, "It's true that I have had the faith and trust of people for almost 40 years in the public sector, just as Daniel K. Inouye has, and I don't think anybody's saying that Daniel K. Inouye is unqualified to run for governor." (I am Inouye? Typical leftist. But this is a twist: usually leftists claim to be Martin Luther King Jr.) ...

"Not by screaming, yelling, ranting, raving, finger pointing, name-calling. You don't need that in a governor. You need a governor who'll stand tall, but he knows when to bring people together to move us forward," Hannemann said.

Abercrombie countered that he returned from Washington, D.C. to run for governor because of what he called a “paralysis of leadership,” which he blamed partly on Hannemann.

“There’s almost a collapse of leadership here. Confrontation taking place at all levels. I'm quite familiar that there has been a clash with the city and county of Honolulu and the governor. Some of the name-calling and finger pointing there," said Abercrombie.

"I can reach out to the president, whom I've known since he was a baby. Who was born yesterday in Kapiolani Hospital in 1961, I can assure you. In as much as I had the good fortune to know his mother and father," Abercrombie said.

Hannemann, who appeared in numerous photo-ops during Mr. Obama's stays in Hawaii recently, tried not to be outdone.

RELATED: Hanauma Dec 29: Did Mufi threaten retaliation against Obama? (One of those photo-ops)

AP: Mufi, Neil “Catfighting”

Abercrombie accuses Hannemann of using the rail project for political purposes.

That explains, the former congressman asserted in the ad, why there was a controversy earlier this year over the project's proximity to a Honolulu airport runway and why the system will not initially extend to Waikiki or the University of Hawaii.

"There's no other way to look at it," Abercrombie said in the ad, which has been airing at least since July 20. "Instead of having a transit timetable, we've had a political timetable."

Hannemann spokeswoman Carolyn Tanaka said in a statement that Abercrombie's ad is an "irresponsible personal attack on Mufi Hannemann and is without any basis in fact."

Abercrombie as a congressman was fully apprised over several years of the project's timetable, funding and route, she added.

"Neil's rhetorical 'shock' over these issues is disingenuous," Tanaka said.

Laurie Au, a spokeswoman for Abercrombie, said the ad reflects what residents have told the candidate.

"The people of Hawaii, whether they are for or against rail, now have legitimate concerns about its future," she said in a statement. "Mufi Hannemann calls the ad a 'personal attack' because he has treated rail like a personal project instead of the important public project that it is."

Hannemann's complaints July 29 about Abercrombie's ad was a mirror image of July 28, when Abercrombie enlisted U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to rebut a Hannemann ad criticizing his rival's performance in Congress.

As the Democrats were catfighting, the probable GOP gubernatorial nominee, Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona, trumpeted more positive television and radio ads being aired on his behalf by the Republican Governors Association.

Abercrombie, Hannemann argue over “Obamaness”

HNN: Mufi Hannemann and Neil Abercrombie went up against each other at Kauai Community College in Puhi.

They both claimed close ties with President Obama, whom Abercrombie knew as a child.

Abercrombie mentioned, "There's that personal experience, not that he'd do anything special for us. But, my experience bringing bills home for the people of Hawaii."

Hannemann rebutted by saying, "I knew the president when his name was Barry when he came to Hawaii. He hailed me as one of the best mayors in America. I can't let my opponent out-Obama me saying he's gonna get things from the White House that I can't get."

WaPo: Abercrombie’s prospects “don’t look great”

The prospects for the other member of Congress running for governor don't look great, either. Former Rep. Neil Abercrombie, who like Deal resigned to focus on his gubernatorial run, is at a sharp financial disadvantage in the Hawaii Democratic primary.

Hannemann vs Abercrombie at July 29 Waikiki Neighborhood Board meeting: “yelling, screaming, ranting, raving, finger-pointing and name-calling”