Abercrombie accepts blame for mistakes

Gov. Neil Abercrombie on Monday accepted blame for his administration’s missteps and said he would use his low job approval rating as a spur to regain the public’s confidence.

The Democratic governor said public anxiety and disillusionment with government at all levels influenced the negativity. He said it is still early in his administration and that in time he would be judged by whether he delivers on his policy approach to the homeless problem, early childhood education, alternative energy and work-force housing.

"I play all four quarters, and we’re in the first quarter of what needs to be done in order to have our game plan take place," a subdued Abercrombie told reporters after a news conference at the state Capitol to discuss his recent trip to Japan and China.

"There was an awful lot of broken glass on the field when we came in, and we’ve been picking up that glass as fast as we can. And I think we’re turning things around there, and we intend to do that."

A Public Policy Polling survey this month put Abercrombie’s job approval rating at 30 percent, the lowest of any governor in the nation. Sources close to the administration have acknowledged privately that political and communications strategies must quickly improve to get the governor back on track.

Even faithful Democrats have questioned the Abercrombie administration’s direction after the resignations of four top advisers and policy decisions that alienated allies in the environmental and labor communities.

Abercrombie said Monday that the young advisers who had been with him since his campaign were not asked to leave. He said they chose to resign for their own reasons before preparation for the next session of the state Legislature. He described the staff turnover as a "seamless transition."

Rather than change direction, the governor said, he intends to stay with his "A New Day in Hawaii" agenda.

Abercrombie said he was reluctant after he took office last December to fault former Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican, for the state’s fiscal health. But he said there was "fiscal wreckage" and that he should have better explained the state’s financial challenges.

Abercrombie also said he could have more clearly presented the policy justifications for a pension tax and a soda tax to help close the state’s budget deficit. The ideas proved deeply unpopular and were rejected by lawmakers.

The governor said he would not call for a pension tax again next session because the state’s revenue picture has improved. He said he is still considering a soda tax but would likely devote the new revenue to health care initiatives to reduce obesity and diabetes or to early childhood education rather than to the general fund.

Abercrombie described his trip to Japan and China as a prelude to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference on Oahu in November. He said he has offered to work with Congress and the State Department to expedite the visa process in China so more Chinese tourists can visit Hawaii.

"The potential here is stunning," he said of China market.

Abercrombie’s advisers hope the worst of the public relations and public policy mishaps are behind him — or, as one ally put it, that the administration has "hit bottom" — and that his supplemental budget draft and legislative package will bring the focus back to his "New Day" agenda.

"I’ve been in public life now for almost four decades," Abercrombie said, "and I’ve been up and I’ve been down. It’s not about me. It’s never been about me in that sense. And it’s never about a snapshot, as such. It’s serious business, there’s no question about that."

But Abercrombie accepted blame and said his administration has been working hard to implement his vision.

"I’ve always taken the position that when you have to eat crow, you should get that bird down your throat as quick as possible," he said.

Hawaii News Now video: Governor not changing direction despite low approval rating