Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Another Campaign

Here is a brief account of the Hogue-Kawananakoa race. Not as famous as Akaka-Case, Hogue- Kawananakoa (a.k.a. the "Popular Pauper" and the Prince) is bubbling under the surface. Kawananakoa is campaigning hard and Hogue usually seems laid back, but will make an issue of Kawananakoa's wealth: The Honolulu Advertiser notes, "Their differences were also highlighted in a public battle, when Kawananakoa called on Hogue to discontinue his Midweek sports column for the duration of the campaign, which Hogue countered by saying he had to earn a living because he didn't have access to a vast fortune, as Campbell Estate heir Kawananakoa does..."

However, this article in HawaiiReporter.com can do the fighting for Hogue:

Unfortunately for Kawananakoa, his money may be his downfall, not his salvation.

Why the backlash?

The modern trend in American politics is populism. Thus, Kawananakoa, with his cool, patrician demeanor, is depicted as a mandarin, with this article shouting for him to come out of his ivory tower. Admittedly, Hogue has a sweaty, Ratzenbergian charm (September 9 update: Gary Hooser is another Hawaii candidate who looks like Cliff Clavin, even without the mustache) while Kawananakoa is a genuine aristocrat, yet one who points out in the aforementioned Honolulu Advertiser article that he "started out at Dole pineapple washing down machines." In short, Kawananakoa is not quite the ivory-tower man(darin) the press has portrayed him to be.
I'll post more soon.
---September 7 update
Last May, the KalapanaPundit posted to his own message this comment:
Personally I have little use for monarchs and hereditary aristocracy, except as target practice, especially if they are wearing red.
Among the royals KP has "little use for" is Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole, who was elected for ten consecutive terms as Territorial Delegate, serving in the U.S. Congress from 1903 until 1922. In fact, Quentin Kawananakoa is related to the Prince.
I'll have even more soon.

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