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Roth asks political columnists Dan Boylan of MidWeek and Richard Borreca of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin to assess Hawaii's political condition in early 1994. The two disagree on how unusual Hawaii is: Borreca sees typical small-state inbreeding, while Boylan argues the state's Asian cultural roots give its politics a distinctive character. Both acknowledge the legislature's weakness, tracing it to Governor Waihee's practice of appointing roughly fifteen legislators to administration posts, eliminating any incentive to hold the executive branch accountable. Borreca contends the legislature needs thirty or more professional staff — rather than the one or two it has — to effectively oversee the administration. On Waihee's legacy, Boylan sees a naturally gifted politician who squandered his talents by never sustaining a clear agenda. Turning to the governor's race, Borreca picks Cayetano as the candidate with the best chance, citing his strong campaign instincts and focus on education; Boylan calls it Saiki's race to lose. Both note voter cynicism running high, fueled by Senate feuding and cronyism revelations. Borreca calls on all three candidates to accept public financing; Boylan wants repeated joint appearances before the public.
Transcript
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