If you saw our Insights on PBS Hawaii forum July 5 with the leading candidates for Honolulu Mayor, you know that former Gov. Ben Cayetano was ticked off at opponent, former Acting Mayor Kirk Caldwell, to his left, above. That was clear on the air.
But what you didn't see was Cayetano arriving before the program in our crowded lobby, and hailing another opponent, incumbent Mayor Carlisle: "Peter, are you going to help me kick his a**?"
Cayetano meant Caldwell, who was in another part of the building. Though Cayetano had an edge to his voice, everybody within hearing distance knew he meant a figurative walloping.
The former Governor is incensed over the pro-rail Pacific Resource Partnership ad campaign suggesting that anti-rail Cayetano took advantage of a loophole so that he didn't have to pay back donations that turned out to be illegal in a previous campaign. The head of the Campaign Spending Commission has said Cayetano did nothing illegal.
Pro-rail Caldwell is on record saying he's disappointed with how Cayetano handled this. ("It's not okay, Ben.")
So Cayetano called out Caldwell a couple of times on our live program, saying, "Wait a minute...what should I have done?" ..."Come on, look at me, are you saying I did something wrong?"
Caldwell deflected Cayetano, as host Dan Boylan was posing a question to incumbent Peter Carlisle.
Carlisle didn't pile on.
His memorable quote of the night came when questioned whether he was using Honolulu Hale as a stepping stone to the Governor's office: "I have zero desire to be Governor. You can write that in blood."
The conversational format of this program makes the opponents' positions on rail and several other governance issues quite clear. You can view the program online anytime at www.pbshawaii.org/ourproductions.insight.php
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