Newly designated Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama visited Hawai'i in August with his family, including wife Michelle, shown here at a Aug. 8 rally in Honolulu, where he was introduced by U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie and Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann. [Click the image for a larger view.] - Photo: Blaine Fergerstrom

Obama says America
looking for aloha spirit
Native Hawaiians could be a focus
of the presidential campaign

By Crystal Kua / OHA Director of Communications

With Hawai'i-born presidential hopeful Barack Obama accepting the Democractic Party's nomination at its convention last month and Republican candidate Sen. John McCain set to do the same this month, the race for the White House could highlight issues important to Native Hawaiians.

To some, Obama's visit to his home state last month was evidence.

A Hawaiian and a self-described “huge Barack Obama supporter,” Kekoa Carlson said he was optimistic that Obama will be successful in his bid for the presidency. He's “awesome, energetic, charismatic, just an excellent public speaker who really seems passionate about what he's about to do,” said Carlson, after hearing Obama speak to a crowd of thousands who waited for hours under the sun at Ke'ehi Lagoon Park on Aug. 8.

Carlson, a 21-year-old University of Hawai'i senior and political science major who attended the rally with his mom, aunty and cousin Pono Suganuma, said one of Obama's greatest assets is his Island roots, which Carlson said is a good indication that he has a “knowledge or understanding of the plight of the Native Hawaiians.”

And that may have already begun.

The Democratic Convention in Denver planned to include language in its platform supporting the “self-determination and sovereignty” of Native Hawaiians consistent with the 1993 Apology Act and the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act pending before Congress. The draft of the party platform also said, “We will respect the Native Hawaiian culture, rights and sacred places.”

Obama's weeklong visit to Hawai'i was his first visit to the Islands since declaring his candidacy. Besides the rally, the Punahou graduate came to town for a weeklong vacation and a fundraiser, which earned his campaign chest $1.3 million with the help of 500 supporters at a $2,300-per-person fundraiser at the Kāhalaa Hilton.

“It's record-breaking – we've never seen this amount of money raised in the state of Hawai'i in one night for politics. Never,” said Hawai'i Democratic Party chairman Brian Schatz, who attended the Democratic National Convention with 31 other Hawai'i delegates. Schatz attributed the large financial boost to Obama's campaign to “the hunger for change from eight years of George Bush and … the fact that he's from Hawai'i, and that's not lost on us.”

At the Aug. 8 rally, Obama told the throng of supporters that he carries with him on the campaign trail the lessons he's learned growing up in the Islands. I try to explain to them about the aloha spirit,” Obama said. “And it's that spirit that I am absolutely convinced is what America is looking for right now. …

“We look out for one another. We deal with each other with courtesy and respect. And most important when you come from Hawai'i that you start to understand what's on the surface, what people look like, that doesn't determine who they are,” said Obama, who was joined on stage by his wife, Michelle. His use of Hawaiian values in his speech brought rave reviews from Native Hawaiians and other Polynesians in the audience.

“My reaction, it was positive, that he is here for the aloha spirit, that he is here to say thank you to us for the support,” said Sam Puletasi, a 47-year-old Democrat from 'Ewa Beach, who was happy when Obama touched upon themes related to the sick, disabled and the elderly. But even supporters were a little surprised that in reciting a laundry list of island ethnicities, Native Hawaiians did not come up.

“He did not mention Hawaiians by name as a native culture and that I do find surprising,” said Adam Nākoa Tuifagu, 21, a 2004 Kamehameha Schools graduate. “But I think … we have many local politicians who are Hawaiians who are afraid to touch Hawaiian issues, so I won't hold it against him.”

Lisa Asato contributed to this report.