Six Years On, Inouye Still Peeved At Case
Michael Levine reports for DC808:
Dan Inouye was unhappy when then-Congressman Ed Case decided to challenge Sen. Dan Akaka in the 2006 Democratic primary. Apparently, some bad feelings are still lingering.
Inouye has not formally endorsed Mazie Hirono against Case in the race to replace the retiring Akaka, but made some pretty strong statements yesterday on the Big Island, according to the Hawaii Tribune Herald. Inouye said he’d prefer to serve with “someone who I’ve known over the years whose word has been good and trustworthy.”
From the story:
Inouye then brought up the 2006 U.S. Senate primary election battle between Democrat Case, then a member of the U.S. House, and Akaka. Although Inouye never referred to Case by his name during the Tribune-Herald interview, the senator painted a picture of Case that was less than flattering.
“Now, how would you feel if you asked me a question, ‘Are you going to run for the Senate?’ And I told you, ‘No, I’m not running. I’m not going to oppose Akaka.’
“And less than a week later, he opens his campaign headquarters with posters all over the place. And you know very well it takes more than five days to print these things, especially if you’re on the mainland. How would you look upon me as someone you would call a reliable friend?”
Inouye then said he received an invitation to Case’s campaign headquarters.
“What am I supposed to say? ‘Thank you for lying to me.’”
The National Journal picked up the news and broadcast it to a wider audience this morning.
— Michael Levine
