Senator Inouye Visits Maui

From the Maui Weekly July 15, 2010

The stage was set—quite literally— for a spectacular party, as hundreds gathered on the Yokouchi Estate in Waikapū on the afternoon of Thursday, July 8. But the guest list came with one stipulation: All in attendance must be between the ages of 18 and 36. And the anticipation in the eyes of these 20- and 30-somethings was not reserved for an American Idol winner or an A-list actor or actress. Instead, the enthusiasm was reserved for the man of the hour: the 85-year-old United States Senator for Hawai‘i, Daniel Inouye.

Sen. Inouye currently serves as the chairman of the Appropriations Committee and is a senior member of the Commerce, Rules and Indian Affairs Committees. First elected in 1962, he is now the second most senior member of the U.S. Senate, and is seeking his ninth consecutive term. He is known for his distinguished record as a legislative leader, and as a World War II combat veteran with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, who earned the nation’s highest award for military valor, the Medal of Honor.

As attendees posed for photographs with the Senator, whispers fluttered through the crowd. “He is so nice,” some said. “Did you hear how he got the Medal of Honor?” others asked.

The event was intended to grab the interest of and getting a feel for the “pulse” of the younger generations of Maui residents, said Event Coordinator Yuki Lei Sugimura. “We wanted to reach out to Maui’s young voters, and engage them in the political process,” she said. And judging from the turnout that afternoon, the mission was accomplished.

As the Senator took the stage, he thanked the crowd. “What you are giving me is something I can never repay,” he said. “But I will do my best to make sure the trust you give to me is not in vain.”

The audience listened quietly and intently as he said, “Earlier, I was asked, ‘Why did you run for the Senate?’” He paused for a moment, then began speaking about his childhood. “I am the son of immigrants… when I was young, my mother told me, ‘be proud of yourself, but be humble at the same time.’” Those words have resonated, he said, as he has sat down with presidents, prime ministers, school teachers—“they are all people,” he said.

The Senator recalled reading the Declaration of Independence for the first time. In particular, the passage: “We hold these truths to be self-evident… that all men are created equal.” It had an immeasurable impact on the young Senator. This early lesson in equality became the bedrock of his political career, a guiding principle that has influenced his decisions throughout his tenure as Hawai‘i’s senior Senator. And as recently as two weeks ago, he demonstrated this prevailing dedication to equal rights, when the fate of House Bill 444, which would allow same-sex couples the same rights as “traditional” couples, rested in the hands of Gov. Linda Lingle, who ultimately vetoed the measure.

His softspoken demeanor became firm as he said he fully supported HB444. “I’m for it,” he said. “They are people, citizens of the United States,” he said, “and they are entitled to a good life—they are equal to everyone else.”

“If a man wants to marry a man, or a woman wants to marry a woman… well, I’m okay with that.”

With the passing of West Virginia Sen. Robert Byrd, Sen. Inouye now assumes the role of President Pro Tempore, which places him third in line for the presidency. The position, customarily reserved for the most senior Senator in the majority, places him in line for presidency after Vice President Joe Biden and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

“It’s a new lifestyle,” he said. “I’m in line for the presidency now… can you imagine that?” With a smile, he said, “I have 16 bodyguards, I’m not permitted to drive, I can’t even open my own door… cause it’s locked.”

But, even with the security detail, upon landing in Honolulu last week, the Senator still managed to visit his favorite restaurant, Zippy’s, and treated his bodyguards to his favorite meal—a cup of Zippy’s chili.