Although Hawaii is normally considered a backwater for presidential politics, the upcoming campaign will likely generate a lot more excitement here. First and foremost, Barack Obama was born and raised in Hawaii, and there is genuine excitement about the possibility of a Hawaii-born president. Obama still has plenty of classmates who remember him from high school, and he has a sister and a grandmother still living here. Obama is frequently referred to as Hawaii's third Senator, and there is palpable pride in Hawaii regarding his candidacy. Second, the presidential caucuses have been moved up to February 19--just before Super Tuesday, which will likely mean much more media attention and interest locally.
The Obama Campaign in Hawaii kicks off today with an organizing meeting at Kawananakoa Middle School at 10:00 am. The meeting will feature a welcoming introduction from Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama's sister, who is an eloquent high school teacher who teaches in Honolulu. Maya has been privately campaigning for her brother locally, and she will likely take on a more national role as the campaign unfolds.
Those of us who have been involved with Hawaii politics for many years never remember the kind of excitement that the Obama campaign has generated locally. We look forward to finally having some relevance as the 2008 campaign unfolds.