State, nation mourn Sen. Inouye, dead at 88

LIHU‘E — “Aloha,” said U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawai‘i, Monday. And then he was gone forever.

When President Barack Obama heard the news, he responded with a similar message on his Twitter account: “Aloha, Danny.”

Inouye died at 88 years old Monday of respiratory complications, after spending a week at a Washington-area hospital. He was two weeks short of celebrating 50 years of service in the U.S. Senate, and because of the length of his service, he was the Senate’s president pro tempore — the third in line for presidential succession.

“In Washington, he worked to strengthen our military, forge bipartisan consensus, and hold those of us in government accountable to the people we were elected to serve,” Obama said. “But it was his incredible bravery during World War II — including one heroic effort that cost him his arm but earned him the Medal of Honor — that made Danny not just a colleague and a mentor, but someone revered by all of us lucky enough to know him.”

“Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i, the United States of America has lost a champion, a hero, and a friend today,” said state Rep. Derek Kawakami, D-14th District, who served as Inouye’s Kaua‘i campaign co-chair in 2004.

Kawakami’s ties with Inouye goes back generations. Kawakami said his uncle, George, served with Inouye in the famous 442nd “Go For Broke” Regimental Combat Team in World War II, and was his field representative on Kaua‘i from 1974 to 2001.

Additionally, Inouye’s father, Hyotaro, was a classmate of Kawakami’s grandfather, H.S. Kawakami, at Mills School, which later became Mid Pacific Institute.

“The stories of his courage and bravery are traits that make legends out of individuals,” Kawakami said. “Many of us never imagined that he could be vulnerable. He has accomplished and helped out more people in one lifetime than many of us would be able to do in a 100 lifetimes. Our hearts and prayers are with the senator’s family.”

State Rep. Jimmy Tokioka, D-15th District, said he feels honored to have been able to “learn from a man of the senator’s stature.”

“He personally got involved with our son Pono’s case at the Department of Justice in support of deaf youth athletes,” said Tokioka, adding that Inouye had always fought for those with disabilities who could not fight for themselves.

 “He sacrificed so much for his country, his passing is a great loss to the people of Hawai‘i and our nation,” Tokioka said.

State Rep. Dee Morikawa, D-16th District, said Inouye will go down in state history as the person who pushed harder to give a better life for the people of Hawai‘i.

“It’s a tremendous loss to our state and our country,” said state Sen. Ron Kouchi, D-8th District. “He’s been so influential in shaping Hawai‘i over the last 50-plus years.”

Kouchi said he was in Washington, D.C., two weeks ago, when he met with Inouye, thanked the senator for the work he had done and talked about some projects for Kaua‘i.

“I will certainly treasure the fact that I had a chance to see him on Dec. 3 and let him know how much we appreciate him on our island,” Kouchi said.

Hawai‘i Gov. Neil Abercrombie said in a statement that Inouye gave everything.

“He knew the true meaning of ‘Go For Broke,’” Abercrombie says. “He left us with a legacy of honor and service to the people of Hawai‘i, to the people of this nation, without parallel.”

Inouye, a keiki o ka ‘aina, or child of Hawai‘i, has left a legacy that will never be seen again in Hawai‘i, Abercrombie said.

“When Dan Inouye spoke, by God you knew it was a member of the United States Senate,” Abercrombie said. “You knew it was one of the leaders. I don’t suppose that there’s any such thing as the voice of God but I have an idea that if God had to pick someone to speak for him it would have been Dan Inouye.”

True gentleman, beloved leader

Kaua‘i Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. said in a statement that it’s hard to imagine Hawai‘i without Inouye.

“He was a true gentleman, an honored veteran and a man of the highest integrity,” Carvalho said. “He wasn’t a politician, he was a statesman.”

Carvalho said he had come to know Inouye over the past few years as a “generous and kind mentor,” who was always there for Kaua‘i and made it known that the door was open for any request we might have.

“Kaua‘i held a special place in his heart as he had family ties on Kaua‘i and spent part of his childhood here,” Carvalho said. “He truly set the foundation that Hawai‘i rests on today.”

Carvalho said Inouye had always encouraged him to look at all sides of the issue and to stand firm on a decision once it’s made.

“Above all, he reminded me to do everything with aloha,” Carvalho said. “So now we say ‘aloha’ to you Sen. Inouye, and mahalo for your many, many good works — which will benefit us for generations to come.”

“The people of Hawai‘i are grieving today as we mourn the loss of our beloved leader, Sen. Daniel K. Inouye,” Kaua‘i County Council Chair Jay Furfaro said in a statement.

Inouye’s many accomplishments, Furfaro said, represent a lifetime of success and achievements, from his extraordinary bravery in World War II to his unparalleled ability to represent the state of Hawai‘i as the second longest-serving member of the U.S. Senate.

“His remarkable life and legacy will never be forgotten; he will be missed immensely by all who were privileged to know him,” said Furfaro, adding that the council extends its heartfelt condolences to Inouye’s wife, Irene Hirano Inouye, son, Ken Inouye, and the rest of his family.

Former chair of Republican Party on Kaua‘i, Ron Agor, said in as statement that he had a brief discussion with Inouye a few years ago. One of the things that Inouye told him, he said, was that he may fight vigorously for the Democratic Party during elections, but after the votes are counted, it is all over — from there on everyone must work together to get the needed work done.

“I try to advocate and follow this particular philosophy of his,” Agor said. “He will be missed.”

State Senate President Shan Tsutsui said in a statement that we have lost a “true American hero.”

“Sen. Dan Inouye served the people of Hawai‘i and our country with great dignity and honor. A true statesman, his lifelong work has left an indelible mark on Hawai‘i and he leaves behind a legacy that we will never forget. We express our heartfelt condolences to the Inouye ‘ohana and our thoughts and prayers are with them.”

War hero, mentor

Sen. Daniel Akaka, D-Hawai‘i, who is retiring this month, said Inouye’s legacy is not only the loving family that he leaves behind. It also can be seen in every mile of every road in Hawai‘i, in every nature preserve, in every facility that makes Hawai‘i a safer place.

“He fulfilled his dream of creating a better Hawai‘i,” Akaka said. “Tomorrow will be the first day since Hawai‘i became a state in 1959 that Dan Inouye will not be representing us in Congress. Every child born in Hawai‘i will learn of Dan Inouye, a man who changed the islands forever.

U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawai‘i, said in a statement that Inouye’s “professional generosity and personal kindness” have meant the world to her.

“I attribute a great deal of the success I have enjoyed to his willingness to share with a smile, and to guide with a gentle word,” Hanabusa said. “I will miss him, and I join our state and our nation in mourning the loss of a great American and a wonderful man.”

U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai‘i, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in November to replace Akaka, said in a statement that history will remember Inouye as a decorated war hero and “monumental figure” in Hawai‘i’s statehood.

“Throughout his life, he fought and sacrificed for the ideals of freedom and justice,” Hirono said. “His record speaks for itself. Despite his significant accomplishments, Dan Inouye never forgot where he came from. His values, work and sense of honor were strongly rooted in Hawai‘i, and he pursued his vision for America with humility and bipartisanship.”

U.S. Rep.-elect Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawai‘i, said in a statement that the fact that Inouye’s last word was “Aloha” speaks volumes about him, an iconic leader.

“He has and will continue to be an inspiration and mentor to me and countless others around the world,” Gabbard said.

‘One of a kind’

“I really don’t know what to say, I’m still trying to accept this,” said an emotional Ron Sakoda, who knew Inouye for more than 25 years. “He really was one of a kind. I don’t how else to put it.”

Sakoda acted for many years as a representative for Inouye on Kaua‘i. He said Inouye had two main priorities for the Garden Isle: funding the Pacific Missile Range Facility and turning Kaua‘i Community College into a full university.

“He wasn’t able to see through the college, but hopefully he did make a big difference for the PMRF,” Sakoda said.

Inouye was always looking for ways on how he could better serve Kaua‘i, and touched a lot of people because of what he did, Sakoda said.

“He never thought of himself, he always thought of everybody else,” he said.

First Hawaiian Bank Board member Walter Dods Jr. said in a statement that all of Hawai‘i’s citizens will feel the loss of this “political giant.”

“As his friends, we’ll miss him terribly,” said Dods, a retired FHB chairman and CEO.

Dods says he has been a personal friend of Inouye for more than 40 years. Last weekend, Dods said he asked Inouye how would he like to be remembered, and the senator answered, “As somebody who worked hard for the people of Hawai‘i. I think I did OK.”

“He did far more than ‘OK,’” Dods says. “Hawai‘i has never seen his like and never will again. Perhaps only now that he is gone will it become clear how much his presence in our nation’s capital meant to Hawai‘i.”

“For us at Kaua‘i Economic Development Board, we lost a great friend,” said KEDB President and CEO Matty Yoshioka, adding that Inouye has always been a champion for education and workforce.

Tireless public servant

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement that from his earliest days in public service to his last, Inouye inspired others to reach for the American dream.

“Because that’s exactly what he did,” Clinton said. “No matter what barrier was in his way, Danny shattered it.”

Vice President Joe Biden said in a statement that everyone in the Senate not only admired Inouye, but they also trusted him.

“We all knew he would do the moral thing regardless of the consequences — whether it was passing judgment on a president during Watergate or on another president in the Iran-Contra hearings,” Biden says.

“And Danny always remembered where he came from — and how hard his family had to struggle. From having to fight for the right to fight for his country in the all Japanese-American 442nd, to his keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention in 1968, he always spoke of the country’s struggles with racism and bias, and his call for a ‘new era of politics.’ And to his dying day, he fought for a new era of politics where all men and women are treated with equality.”

“Today is a truly sad day for U.S. Pacific Command, the state of Hawai‘i, and all of us who have valued our relationship and time spent with Sen. Inouye over the many years,” Adm. Samuel Locklear said in a statement.

Inouye’s dedication to Hawai‘i, its men and women in uniform, and to the United States was “exceptional,” Locklear said.

“We have lost a great friend, a true national hero, a tireless public servant and an irreplaceable American,” Locklear said. “We will all miss him.”

Hawai‘i Supreme Court Chief Justice Mark. E. Recktenwald, on behalf of the Hawai‘i State Judiciary, said he extends the deepest sympathy to Inouye and his family.

“Sen. Inouye dedicated his life to serving the people of Hawai‘i and our nation,” Recktenwald said. “He was a decorated war hero, a great statesman and a tireless advocate for equality and justice.”

‘Giant among men’

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs sent a press release stating that Inouye will be remembered as a “giant among men, a larger-than-life war hero” whose greatest feats happened away from the battlefield, throughout a lifetime of public service.

“The Native Hawaiian people will remember him as our ally and champion, a man who spent decades shepherding law after law to honor America’s trust obligations and improve the health, education, and well-being of Hawai‘i’s first people,” OHA said in the release.

Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau Executive Director Sue Kanoho said in a statement that she has always admired Inouye from afar, but it was her work at the KEDB that began her years of partnership with Inouye and his team.

“Immediately following Hurricane ‘Iniki, Sen. Inouye called a meeting at the then Kaua‘i Hilton hotel with business leaders to discuss how he was going to help the island of Kaua‘i,” Kanoho said. “A man who always delivered on his promises, Sen. Inouye did indeed get Kaua‘i some of its first recovery funds to the island and they were given to KEDB. I jumped into the deep end of federal grants and tourism recovery plans, and so began my career in tourism.

Kanoho said she was later blessed by Inouye when he suggested her to be one of the Kaua‘i delegates at President Bill Clinton’s White House Conference on Travel and Tourism in 1995.  

“I was in Washington, D.C., with tourism icons from Hawai‘i and the rest of the nation and will never forget that experience,” Kanoho said. “I often tell people that I feel I owe much of my career to Sen. Dan Inouye and his team, who have been endless supporters of our island of Kaua‘i, and all the Hawaiian Islands.”

Inouye, she says, was an American hero, a dedicated politician, a stalwart leader and a never-ending wealth of aloha who will never be forgotten, but will be remembered with gratitude for years to come.  

Replacement

The Associated Press reported Monday that Peter Boylan, Inouye’s spokesman, said the senator’s last wish was for Hanabusa to succeed him.

Per Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, when there is a vacancy in the office of a U.S. senator, the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term at the following state general elections, provided that the vacancy occurs no later than 4:30 p.m. on the 60th day prior to the primaries.

Until the next election, which will be in 2014, Inouye’s replacement will be chosen by the Democratic Party and by Abercrombie.

Kouchi said a state central committee at the Democratic Party will select three names and send them to Abercrombie.

“It will be up to the governor to appoint a replacement,” said Suzanne Marinelli, coordinator for the state Legislature’s Public Access Room.

AP reported that Boylan said Inouye made his wishes known in a letter to Abercrombie, and that the letter is Abercrombie’s to release. But Boylan confirmed that it was Inouye’s “last wish” for Hanabusa to succeed him, according to AP.

An Abercrombie spokeswoman declined to release the letter, saying Inouye had marked it personal and that is how Abercrombie views it, according to AP.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the state Democratic party, Dante Carpenter, met with Abercrombie on Monday. Carpenter said the party hopes to have a new senator in Washington in time for the first day of the new congressional session so Hawai‘i won’t lose too much seniority, AP reported.

The 113th Congress is scheduled to begin Jan. 3.

The party’s state central committee, which has about 80 members, will likely meet by conference call to select the three candidates. But Carpenter said the party isn’t looking to do that this week, as it wants to respect Inouye’s family and the contributions Inouye made, AP reported.

Carpenter said he discussed the mechanics of the process with Abercrombie.

“Our responsibility is to not just carry on but carry through on his total devotion and commitment to Hawai‘i and its values,” Abercrombie said in a statement. “Our thoughts, hearts and deepest aloha go out to his wife, Irene; son, Ken; and the entire Inouye family.”

• Léo Azambuja, staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) or lazambuja@ thegardenisland.com.