Not all candidates worthy, but all of them courageous

As election day creeps closer, news media units like this one perform their civic duty, providing voters with information about who is running for what office and why.

The ratio of candidates to live journalists each unit employs limits comprehensive coverage to the major races with the most interest in a particular area. For this reason, the contests for Hono-lulu mayor and City Council get the most attention along with federal posts, such as the U.S. House and Senate.

Despite limitations, newspapers have a tradition of giving voters at least the basics, and tomorrow, readers can sort through a Longs Drugs Sunday ad-sized section that contains particulars about contenders in the upcoming primary.

The information came from candidates themselves. Each was asked to answer a few questions about their backgrounds, why they are best qualified, their reasons for running and priorities. Most of them had to convey all of this stuff in no more than 400 keystrokes, the newspaper’s version of the red light TV stations flash during a broadcast debate.

As part of my functions here, I’ve read through the bulk of these sketches to ready them for publication and though the work was sometimes tedious, there were noteworthy moments.

Veteran office-seekers, who have had many years and many races to hone their messages, gave the most characterless answers. “I have always,” and “I firmly believe” and “I will fight” and “I have a proven track record” — the yadda, yadda, yadda of constant campaigners — dulled their appeal.

For others, the cliche factories worked overtime. America’s working men and women, kupuna, keiki, “our future, our children and their children” and “future generations to come” stood up as the objects of affection and devotion.

Some candidates evoked successes through lives of hardship as a benefit for understanding ordinary people, the emotional appeal of shared experiences held out as a qualification.

Buzz words abound, among them the overused, ill-defined “sustainability,” which was applied to a range of problems from food and energy self-sufficiency, culture, land use, Waikiki tourism and housing development to the all-encompassing economy. “Biparti-

san” was also a favorite along with “collaborative,” even from candidates of the ruling party.

The local-born stressed localness; newer arrivals the number of years they have lived in the islands. First-timers struck at cronyism and professional politicians, while professional politicians touted knowledge of the ins and outs of governmental layers as certificates for rehiring.

A good many said they were listeners and had strong communication abilities, though some of their statements were muddled. The older claimed experienced perspectives, the younger a fresh outlook free from tired mindsets.

One fellow stood out for having a sense of humor, arguing that previous employment with a circus prepared him well for dealing with clowns.

I had to laugh, but snarky thoughts and remarks aside, it is only right to acknowledge that these people have guts. For whatever reason, they have stepped forward in a time when holding public office can be thankless and unappreciated.

So good luck to them all. May the best women and men win.

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Cynthia Oi can be reached at coi@staradvertiser.com.