Hawaii roots made Obama’s presidency special — ‘Mahalo, Mr. President’

Almost nine years ago, then-U.S. Sen. Barack Obama in giving his campaign-defining “More Perfect Union” speech set what many hoped would be the course to a new United States.

In discussing race and answering the critics of his former pastor, the man who would make history as the U.S.’s first African-American presidential nominee and two-term president, talked of racial tensions, white privilege and black anger in a manner so compelling, inclusive and direct that it filled supporters and voters with hope.

“I believe deeply that we cannot solve the challenges of our time unless we solve them together — unless we perfect our union by understanding that we may have different stories, but we hold common hopes; that we may not look the same and we may not have come from the same place, but we all want to move in the same direction — towards a better future for our children and our grandchildren,” Obama said.

It is one of the cruelties of American politics that the next person to occupy the White House does so with a campaign based not on eloquence and reasoning, but on tweets — 140-character consolidations of insults, racism, misstatements and prevarication.

While President-elect Donald Trump campaigned with a slogan of “Build the wall,” it was the 2008 Obama campaigners shouting “Yes, we can!” in Spanish: “Si, se puede!”

Obama now remains near to us this Christmas, with the 55-year-old Punahou School grad elevating his own legacy and with it, Hawaii’s connection.

Back in March, Obama said “Hawaii is home to me,” but suggested, according to reports, that Chicago was his real home.

“I spent almost 30 years in Chicago. It’s where Michelle grew up, where our daughters were born,” he said.

Still, when the Mars simulation team popped out of their huts on the Big Island after spending a year in isolation, Obama tweeted: “Congrats to NASA and the scientists taking us a step closer to Mars. Now enjoy Hawaii and get a shave ice.”

And speaking of the need to protect the oceans in a September speech, Obama recalled the importance to those of us living in Hawaii’s place surrounded by the vast ocean.

“This is also personal for me. I grew up in Hawaii. The ocean is really nice there. And anybody who grows up on an island — certainly those of us who grew up in Hawaii — learn to appreciate very early on its magic, how it inspires awe, and sometimes, if the waves are a little too big and you’ve gone a little too far out, how it inspires fear and a healthy respect.

“And the notion that the ocean I grew up with is not something that I can pass on to my kids and my grandkids is unacceptable. It’s unimaginable.”

Despite the kabuki drama, Hawaii was never going to be the home of the Obama Library, which is destined to be one of the signature spots in any tour of Chicago. According to University of Hawaii officials, the Manoa campus where Obama’s parents met is still expected to somehow be in the mix.

Dan Meisenzahl, a UH spokesman, described the relationship now as a “conceptualization,” but said he was sure that there would be some “presence on campus.”

We in Hawaii know Obama’s historic presidency was all the richer because of his Hawaii roots.

As much as Obama praises and proudly shares his love for his birthplace, it would be good for Hawaii to take time this Christmas to say, “Thank you, Mr. President.”

Richard Borreca writes on politics on Sundays. Reach him at 808politics@gmail.com.