Taking their cue
By B.J. Reyes
Much like the start of the Republican National Convention, a day that was supposed to festive and celebratory was more hushed and muted, as Hawaii supporters of GOP presidential nominee John McCain postponed the grand opening of the campaign’s Hawaii headquarters.
McCain suspended his campaign yesterday and called for tomorrow’s scheduled debate with Democratic rival Barack Obama to be postponed in order to focus attention on the nation’s financial crisis.
Local McCain backers canceled today’s planned opening of the new headquarters and said there were no solid plans on when the event would take place.
“This was consistent with our leader, John McCain, and his philosophy of country first,” said Jerry Coffee, McCain’s campaign chairman in Hawaii. “Just like we did the first day of the Republican National Convention — when the hurricane was threatening the Gulf Coast and he didn’t think, nor did the rest of us, that it would be appropriate to be celebrating in a political convention when our countrymen down in the Gulf Coast were facing that kind of danger — the same rationale applies to the current situation, until we get this economic mess squared away in Washington.”
The office at 1038 Queen St., in Kakaako, is next door to the space that former Honolulu mayoral candidate Panos Prevedouros had rented for his campaign.
Meanwhile, Hawaii Democrats held a news conference of their own today to criticize Gov. Linda Lingle for heading to the mainland on a 12-day trip that includes a six-state tour stumping for McCain and running mate Sarah Palin. Lingle has been tapped by the McCain campaign as a top surrogate to speak on behalf of the Alaska governor.
“We are finding it difficult to understand why Gov. Lingle would choose to go to the mainalnd and campaign for Sarah Palin at a time when the state of Hawaii faces the most serious budget shortfall in its history,” said Chuck Freedman, executive director of the Hawaii Democratic Party.
In announcing the trip, Lingle said no state resources would be used and argued that it would benefit Hawaii by bringing national attention to the state. She also noted that before the campaign swing, she will be in New York for a summit of national and international business leaders being convened by millionaire publisher Steve Forbes.
