To be good, a governor’s inaugural address should not be about the person delivering it; rather, it should speak with confidence and hope and about those governed.

Hawaii’s longest-serving governor, George R. Ariyoshi, in his penultimate inaugural address, did just that as he gave one of his best speeches.

In his Dec. 5, 1978, address, Ariyoshi said that since first becoming governor, he has led an administration that “dared to dream.”

“We dared to dream of a future where we could direct the growth and development of these islands … an economy where we would be more self-sufficient … an educational system that meets the needs of all our citizens whether they be quick or slow … we dared to dream of creating jobs in agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, manufacturing, and television and movies.”

Ariyoshi, the nation’s first Japanese-American governor, went on to detail hopes of controlling crime, making Hawaii an economic and political international meeting ground, providing equal health services for all and giving a shared good life to all Hawaii citizens.

The Ariyoshi speech was about more than just hopes and dreams, as he brought together enough specifics to convince listeners he knew what he was talking about, knew what he wanted and then how to get it.

NOW HIS ONE-TIME prodigy, Gov. David Ige, just started his second term with an inaugural speech that raised no bars, challenged no conventions and instead, expressed the commonplace Hawaii goals of good schools and a diversified economy.

As far as hopes, dreams and leadership go, Ige is painting himself as something of the 5G Governor, with an administration relying on technology as the answer to the state’s problems.

“I believe the next great economic transition for Hawaii will be driven by innovations enabled by technology,” Ige said.

“Creating a self-sufficient Hawaii is one of our most challenging tasks — one that will overlap many administrations.

“That’s why this goal needs to be driven by a clear and unwavering vision of our desired future — one that can be enabled by technology,” Ige said.

An akamai listener or reader, however, could figure out the real goal Ige wanted to accomplish with his speech: legislative peace.

When Ige walks into the state Capitol next month to address the House and Senate, he knows that every major legislative leader in Hawaii wanted to hear a State of the State speech given by U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, Ige’s primary election opponent, not him.

It appears that Ige’s plan today is to talk about teamwork and working together as a way to counter the wave of rejection his administration received by last year’s Legislature.

“I am not asking for anyone’s blind support, but a willingness to keep an open mind, to leave personal agendas outside the door, and to commit to an unyielding determination to work together,” Ige said in his inaugural address.

He should have just come out and said, “You didn’t want me in the primary but I won, just like I beat an incumbent governor four years before, so let’s figure a way for us to deal with it.”

At least it is time for Ige to start having the one-on-one talks with lawmakers and ask what they think should happen.

Knowing your way around the megabytes is all well and good, but knowing how to forge a legislative compromise is what leaders must do.

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