Every governor leaves a legacy, although not always the one dreamt of on inauguration day.

For Gov. David Ige, who last week gave a State of the State message with little flair and much already-expected substance, the signs of Ige’s legacy are clear.

The governor’s speech nestled inside the already announced legislative themes of addressing Hawaii’s economically bloodied middle class.

It’s a good topic, if manini in scope and run-of-the-mill in already proposed solutions — in other words, no new ideas need apply.

In conclusion, however, Ige touched on the subject that will haunt his own Hawaii stewardship: the failure to see through or even start construction of what is to be the largest telescope in the world on Mauna Kea.

Repeatedly, Native Hawaiian demonstrations with their physical barricades have forced the Ige administration to retreat.

Since 2015, Ige has made both concessions and compromises to the protesters. The scope of the project has been redrafted, pledges to reform the operation of telescopes on Mauna Kea have been given, all court orders have been followed with the project in compliance. But the demonstrators have not agreed to any changes to allow both the Thirty Meter Telescope and a way to honor the mountain in Hawaiian culture.

In last week’s speech Ige could only offer metaphysical musing on aloha spirit.

“At the heart of our dilemma is both the history of wayfinding and discovery and the future of wayfinding and discovery. If we have lost our way, we must find our way back.

To do this, we must be open-hearted, as well as open-minded. We must listen as well as speak with conviction, and we must have aloha for each other, in spite of our differences.

“I ask all to join me in continuing to look for a way forward. I stand ready to work with any and everyone who refuses to let this issue divide us. Let us together find a way forward,” Ige said.

On the same day, The Hindu, one of India’s national newspapers, considered to be one of the country’s newspapers of record, announced that TMT’s India financial backers want out because of the delays and strife.

“India’s position has been clear. We would like the project to move to an alternate site if all the procedures and permits are in place,” Ashutosh Sharma, secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, told The Hindu. “The difficulty is that even if construction [in Mauna Kea] were to go ahead, there could be future agitations,” the paper said.

Canada, the United States, China and Japan are the other countries in partnership to develop the telescope, and India has the smallest share — 10%.

Speaking on Hawaii News Now’s morning newscast last week, Ige said he thinks the other countries will move ahead.

“I can assure you the overwhelming majority of those involved with the telescope are committed to Mauna Kea,” he said.

Last week’s speech by Ige was one of his last as governor. It turned out to be not so much a State of the State speech, as a speech about his state of denial.

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