Posted on 10/30/2004 4:47:55 PM PDT by Dog
Kerry Spot reader William sends in this report of the situation on the ground in Hawaii:
In terms of presidential politics, [Al Gore's visit] was ALMOST a non-event. He appeared at pre-planned Filipino concert at a high school in a largely Filipino district of Oahu. The co-host was Dem. Cong. Neil Abercrombie.
The Filipino community has traditionally been a Democrat stronghold in this state, and flexed its political muscle 10 year ago by electing Ben Cayetano as the first Filipino Governor of Hawaii, and re-electing him in 1998. The coalition of Filipinos and Japanese-Americans is the bedrock of the Demo. party establishment here.
Kerry is in trouble in this state because recent polling shows the Pres. beating him by 15 points among Filipinos. Gore's appearance last night was an effort to bring some of these Filipino voters back to Kerry.
But only 1200 people were on hand — it wasn't any better than a "B" level political event. And he was largely preaching to the convereted. This was a gathering of Filipinos that are committed to Kerry.
The four local television stations all led their newscasts with it at 10:00 p.m., but the coverage was a little underwhelming. The real heart of each stations' story was that for the first time Hawaii's votes might matter — the electoral count may be close, and the outcome here is too close to call. They then covered Gore's appearance, but in the same story talked about the upcoming appearance of VP Cheney tomorrow.
But, most importantly, immediately following the Gore appearance story, each station covered the Bin Laden video.
Cheney is set to appear tomorrow at an event expected to draw 10,000 people. Rather than a local high school, he'll be in downtown Honolulu at the Convention Center. He's got a real chance to wipe the Gore appearance right off the map.
Very curiously, the two Dem. candidates for Mayor of Honolulu did NOT show up at the event last night with Gore.
Hmm. What do they know about the national race in their polling?
I've been wondering how voting in Hawaii will be affected by the time difference. Will afternoon voters in the islands know who has won the East Coast states? If Kerry loses New Hampshire, or New Jersey looks close, or Bush picks up an electoral vote in Maine, will Hawaiians feel like they know the winner?
I read something a few days ago that possibly one of the House seats could go to the GOP?..anything on this..
Al Gore has Mad Cow Disease!
I really think it will. Skerry and the DIMS only have a negative message with no vision. The economy is rocking out there, and the soup line/two Americas rhetoric just doesn't fly in that environment. I've never seen a more unlikable candidate than Skerry, to vote for him requires intense hatred/dislike to Bush. I just don't it out there, note I'm no HI expert, just the feeling I get.
except for the last few, in PA, where Bruce Springstien and some pop acts performed, all Kerry's campaign rallies have been in High Schools, colleges, none drawing many some having to be canceled due to lack of attendance, some 500-700. ALL Bush campaign stops draw from 10,000 to 60,000!!
What the Filipino's call a 'Barong Tagalog'. It's their form of dress shirt.
If they do, we should all buy pineapples on Wednesday.
Did you se the pic of him in that shirt..scary to think that that could have been the president, the CinC..Only serves to prove that God does exist, and that he loves this country..
Sure hope the pubbies have plenty of heavy-duty poll watchers in the state -- it being the last place polls are open. If the rats need a few thousand votes to win, this is where they are likely to try some sleight-of-hand.
If only the voters would turn the far-leftist RAT Niel Abercrombie out of office, I would be delighted. He is the epitome of a welfare state socialist, a boomer who ran as many destructive anti-Viet Nam protests as Kerry did.
It's past time for him to go!
and most people who attend a Kerry rally are you union workers who are sent there
I lived in Hawaii in 1964. Everyone knew that LBJ had overwhelmingly won the election, but Hawaiians turned out to vote in large numbers anyway. They wanted to make their choice known.
They were a relatively new state then, so maybe some of their voter zeal has worn off, but friends who lived there as late as the 80's said the same thing.
If they get a chance to make a difference, of course they will vote in large numbers.
Thanks. I remember them, but could not recall it's proper name. FR has such a wealth of knowledge.
Sorta looks that way!
What percentage of the electorate in Hawaii are of Filipino ancestry?
Great post Dog! Poor ALGORE. How the mighty have fallen!!
I believe that Hawaii's polls close relitively early. 6:00 PM Hawaii time, 11:00 PM Eastern.
Yes (we actually get FoxNews and CNN here, CSPAN too). By Tuesday we'll be only 5 hours earlier than Eastern rather than 6. But there's still a mayoral election going on as well as legislature votes so I doubt it will depress the turnout that much.
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