My Interview With Governor Linda Lingle
At the 2008 Republican Convention in Minnesota, I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle.
http://hawaii.gov/gov/governor/biography
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Lingle
I have always been a fan of hers. Governor Lingle is a Jewish republican. It still astounds me that a place with few Jews and few republicans would elect her. Maybe I should not be astounded. Thrilled is a better word.
I visited Hawaii in 2006 and 2007, attending the Pro Bowl both years. I wanted to meet her, but that is the busy time of year for the legislature. The closest I got was the front row at the 50 yard line of the Pro Bowl. She flipped the coin on the field to start the game.
Governor Lingle has a deep commitment to her Jewish faith. The local Chabad Rabbi is Rabbi Krasynyanski, who sometimes prays with her. The hotel I stay in when I visit Hawaii is the Ala Moana. The Chabad House is located in that hotel, allowing me to pray with Rabbi Krasynyanski as well.
http://www.chabadofhawaii.com/
Governor Lingle is a rock star in Hawaii, and definitely a rising star in the Republican Party. Out of 33 bills that came before her in the last legislative session, she vetoed 27 of them, signing only 6 of them. As a conservative, I admire her. As I said, as a Jewish conservative, her being in office is a thrill.
Before getting to my interview with her, I just want to express that while the outpouring of affection for Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is well deserved, I am shocked that Linda Lingle does not get the same amount of attention. She would have also made a fabulous Vice Presidential nominee. Hopefully a future ticket will have her on it.
Linda Lingle gave a fabulous speech in support of Sarah Palin at the convention. Below are some of the highlights.
“Mere words, no matter how eloquent, will never replace decisive action and real results.”
“Sarah Palin is a leader and a winner.”
“Being a Mayor in Hawaii or Alaska is outstanding preparation for higher office. People in Hawaii and Alaska will tell you that we are doing just fine.”
“Sarah Palin lacks experience? The other side has no experience! Zero!”
“The other side has never managed a multi-billion dollar budget…or managed anything for that matter.”
“Mayors and Governors are CEOs.”
“Alaska was criticized by some as a small state. Alaska has the same number of electoral votes as Delaware. You can fit 250 states the size of Delaware into Alaska.”
I have to admit that I really wanted to meet her. Even as I was ending my last evening at the convention, I had lamented that despite doing over 50 interviews with many Senators and Governors, I had not interviewed her.
For those who wonder why her in particular, the reason is cultural. I am deeply committed to my religious faith and my political beliefs. I take great pride in seeing Jewish republicans succeed. Arlen Specter and Norm Coleman are fine Senators, and Eric Cantor is one of the top members of the House.
Yet Linda Lingle is a Jewish Republican Governor. I want to see a Jewish President in my lifetime. I want that Jewish President to be a republican. Governors get elected far more often than Senators.
As a member of the Republican Jewish Coalition Leadership, I can tell you that it is more than just getting republicans elected. It is about bonding with other Jews. That is why it is not the Republican Catholic Coalition.
My friend Larry Greenfield, the California Executive Director of the RJC, was the one that persuaded me to attend the convention. On the third night of the convention, I told him that I was having a wonderful time, but I still wish I could have interviewed Governor Lingle.
Later that night, after Sarah Palin gave a speech that electrified the entire planet to the left of Leon Trotsky, the crowd spilled out into the halls. I was a fish swimming upstream. As I tried to get past the herds and reach the convention floor, I wondered who my next interview would be.
Among the throngs, I ran into Larry Greenfield. He said, “Hey buddy, have you met Governor Linda Lingle?”
Larry knew I would be wide eyed. He had a genuine look of happiness on his face, as if to let me know that when he is standing before God and wants testimony, I would be happy to vouch.
He then turned to the Governor and said, “This is Eric. He is a Jewish republican blogger. He gets a ton of traffic.”
I was surprised she did not have a bunch of security around her. Then again, they may have gotten swallowed up by the crowd. I told her that I was a big fan of hers, and mentioned praying with Rabbi Krasynyanski. She was very receptive, and expressed her admiration for him as well.
I also let her know that my mother is active in her local Chabad in Florida, and that my mom cried when reading about the Governor. My mom was just very inspired. The Governor was touched by this.
As for doing a “walk and talk” interview, it was more like a “try to stand up and not get crushed and repeat the questions over the yelling throngs” type of interview. Nevertheless, the Governor was quite gracious. Also, even though I was not appointed by anybody, I tried to protect her to make sure that the crowd did not crash into her. I was walking ahead of her up the stairs, and backwards. That way I could make sure she was ok.
Despite the chaos, the interview was completed, and both of us reached our destinations safely.
1) How does a nice Jewish republican woman become Governor of Hawaii, a state not known for Jews or republicans? How did you get elected?
LL: “The key is to work hard. I have a good team around me. People know that I care. Also, I ran at the right time. There was a corruption scandal in Hawaii at the time. Hawaii is a democratic state, so the democrats were the ones linked to the corruption. I am a reformer and a fiscal conservative.”
2) Does Judaism in any way apply to your job?
LL: “My upbringing gives me empathy for others.”
3) Who are your 3 favorite political heroes?
LL: “I have heroes, but my main heroes are personal. My grandmother is my hero.”
4) What are the most important issues of 2008?
LL: “Security. This involves national security and the economy. Economic health is economic security.”
5) How would you like to be remembered 100 years from now? What would you want people to say about Linda Lingle the person?
LL: “As somebody who tried to do the right thing for America. Again, as somebody that worked hard with a good team around her. As somebody who cared.”
As we were finishing, I saw a crevice near the railing that provided daylight from the throngs. I moved out of the way so her staff person could usher her to a quieter area.
I wished the Governor goodbye and then completely reversed gears, walking back towards the convention floor, where I was initially headed.
I skipped Hawaii in 2008, but will go back in 2009. It will again be for the Pro Bowl, meaning that the legislature will be in session. Nevertheless, I will send regards through Rabbi Krasynyanski, and very warm regards they will be.
eric
September 19th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
LL: “The key is to work hard. I have a good team around me. People know that I care. Also, I ran at the right time. There was a corruption scandal in Hawaii at the time. Hawaii is a democratic state, so the democrats were the ones linked to the corruption. I am a reformer and a fiscal conservative.”
As mayor of Maui for 10 years she did the same thing and sustained a 75% approval.
When she ran for governor here there was really no contest after seeing how she cleaned up Maui, brought commerce and the infrastructure to a whole new level.
We used to have dem counsel people and reps getting locked for all kinds of things til she came along.
I’ve been in the same room with her a few times. Shes very gracious and calm.
September 19th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
First let me say that I love the fact that Sarah Palin’s VP nomination has brought to light the way in which Conservative principles appeal to an incredibly diverse range of people. And I especially love to hear about the people like Governor Linda Lingle who are elected officials who actually live out those principles.
But I also wanted to give everybody a heads up on the latest on the guy who hacked into Sarah Palin’s email. It seems that the guy was looking at NewsBusters at a specific time, according to the screenshots he leaked to the internet.
That means that NewsBusters may be able to shed some light on who this hacker was.
Everybody should check out my post for all of the details/proof: http://thecollegepolitico.com/palin-hacker-was-on-newsbusters-while-taking-pictures-of-her-e-mail/
Also, if you can, I would ask that you contact NewsBusters about this and encourage them to check through their visitor logs…
September 19th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
“the outpouring of affection for Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is well deserved”
“I love the fact that Sarah Palin’s VP nomination has brought to light the way in which Conservative principles appeal to an incredibly diverse range of people.”
LOL!!!
What conservative principles? Her radical Christianity, which only a minority of Americans share? Or her ridiculous spending and federal taxpayer sponging? She’s a joke. The only reason McCain picked her was to appeal to rightwing nuts and disaffected Clinton woman who were voting gender over the issues. It was the most irresponsible and cynical pick since Dan Qauyle - actually, since EVER.
David Brooks: “Is Sarah Palin qualified to be vice president? Most conservatives say yes, on the grounds that something that feels so good could not possibly be wrong. But a few commentators, like George Will, Charles Krauthammer, David Frum and Ross Douthat demur, suggesting in different ways that she is unready.”
At least a few conservative pundits are honest enough to admit it.
JMJ
September 19th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
Oh, and Lingle would have made a much (and by “much” I mean 10,000 times) better choice than Palin for VP. But Lingle is childless, Jewish and pro-choice - not exactly optimal for that all-important Christian Right vote. I don’t agree with her about much - from education, to the environment, to drug testing - but she’s a far and distant cry from the pathetic choice that was Palin.
JMJ
September 19th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Why are you going back to the Pro Bowl when there will be no Raiders and yet many Bills playing?
September 19th, 2008 at 5:47 pm
“It was the most irresponsible and cynical pick since Dan Qauyle ”
Okay during hi s4 years as vice-president what exactly did Dan Quayle do that put this nation at risk. About the only thing Democrats can point to was his spelling of Potato with an e which by the way is a correct alternate spelling.
I also notice dems NEVER mention Geraldine Ferraro who had far LESS experience than Quayle as an “irresponsible and cynical pick.” Obama and Hillary’s experience is just a sparse as Sarah Palin’s. So nominating either of them is probably just as irresponsible.
“Oh, and Lingle would have made a much (and by “much” I mean 10,000 times) better choice than Palin for VP.” Isn’t it funny how Dems always say that whoever was not picked by Republicans was a better choice. That’s about as honest as Republicans who now say Hillary would have been a better choice. You would not have voted for McCain over Obama if he picked Hillary, Joe Biden, Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi as his running mate. Just as those republicans would not have voted for Obama no matter who his running mate was. McCain was supposedly (according to Democrats) the much better choice in 2000 now he is just a clone of Bush. Liberman was an incredibly great pick by Gore in 2000 now since he supports the war he is public enemy #1. Even had he supported Obama (much less not supported McCain) this year he would have been shoved aside by the Democrats after the election if they didn’t need him to maintain the majority.
September 19th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
JMJ:
“What conservative principles? Her radical Christianity, which only a minority of Americans share? Or her ridiculous spending and federal taxpayer sponging? ”
Whats radical about it ?
Are you fool enough to go the dinosaur route ?
Do some research on what it takes to run Alaska and why it qualifies for fed funds more than any other state.
Theres a bunch of good reasons for Alaska to get the money it gets. It has to support 21,000 troops, it has obligations to Native Alaskans and the Fed owns 60% of Alaska’s land which it is responsable for and only 1 % of Alaskas land is privately owned.
It also operates the largest coast gaurd of any other state. Its coast lines are greater than that of the east and west coast put together. ( you might want to think national security) It has the largest forest service in the union to maintain also. Combined, mkore than that of Texas and California.
You may think it was an irresponsible pick but most McCain supporters have no problem with her.
And thats where the reflection on her viability matters. Not in the head of some disgruntled lefty.
September 19th, 2008 at 6:37 pm
Well, Parrot, I don;t know about Democrats, since I never was one, but I thought the Ferraro pick was a little irresponsible and cynical too. If you recall, it was a feminist movement within the party that forced her nomination. Just the same, she had been a pretty impressive record of public service prior to her nomination, but was certainly not the best choice for VP.
Quayle had a pretty unimpresive background and had a reputation of being a little hypocritical, dumb, an underachiever, possibly a philanderer, and putting ideology over rationality. He too was not a good choice.
Palin was simply a bad choice, period. Both Quayle and Ferraro were far more substantive picks.
Again, I’m not a Dem and that fact that you can’t figure that out shows that you don’t even know what a Dem, let alone a real liberal like me is. Know thine opponent, Parrot.
Micky, the money for the troops in Alaska comes regardless of the governor. Don’t be silly. We’re talking about non-military pork here. Jesus man, when’s the last time the governor of Alaska activated their guard? Get real. Palin’s a joke.
JMJ
September 19th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Funny how you cant address all the other issues and only come up with the gaurd.
You never made the exclusion of military pork untill I brought it up.
She can ask for additional gaurd funding from the fed if she wants since there are quite a few community projects the gaurd operates that involve additional funding.
Palins a joke ?
I’ll tell you whats a joke.
Our VP pick is actually more qualified than your presidential pick.
The joke is on you.
September 19th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
Palin’s a joke. I’ve seen her interviews. I’ve heard her speeches. She’s a walking vacuum. She’s written nothing, said nothing, and done very little of note. She left her little town of 9,000 $20,000,000 in debt for a money pit of a hockey arena. She outted corruption in Alaska (corruption that ws already well known to the point of being the stuff of legend) only when she was passed up for opportunities. She has a reputation of being a small-minded bully who has abused her official power. She uses hot-button pseudo-issues to rile up the rabble for votes. I think she’s nothing but a mean little narcissistic shrew and I think her supporters have to stretch the limits of their ability to rationalize to assuage their deep pathological cognitive dissonance.
JMJ
September 20th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Ferraro had a scant record of public service before her selection and Dan Quayle had considerably more than Obama.
Dan Quayle had 17 years of public service before becoming Vice President including 4 years in the House of Representatives and 8 years in the Senate.
As far as being a laissez-faire republican that really doesn’t seem consistent with his support of Sarbanes-Oxley or McCain Feingold
September 20th, 2008 at 12:13 am
I also notice you couldn’t cite anything he did which proved it was an irresponsible pick.
September 20th, 2008 at 1:51 am
“Palin’s a joke. I’ve seen her interviews. I’ve heard her speeches. She’s a walking vacuum. She’s written nothing, said nothing, and done very little of note.”
Still, she out qualifies Obama 10 to 1.
Speeches ?
ROTFLMFAO.
Did you here Obamas speech today ?
All he did was cater to a bunch of sob stories, the same dribble about obvious hardships amongst us normal folk. I could see the moms in the audience weeping as they agreed, even when he mentioned enforcing bedtime as one of those hardships ( I swear its true, did anyone else hear that?)
And then he said he was gonna fix it all and split.
“So you’re working longer hours. Or working more than one job just to get by. And then there are the jobs you do once the workday ends. Jobs like paying bills. Like buying groceries. Like making dinner. Doing the laundry, enforcing bedtime.
ENFORCING BEDTIME???
I want to know if Obama will send someone around to balance my checkbook and change lightbulbs, maybe deal with my 13 year old.
“It’s so unfair! Clean my room! Lights out by ten on schoolnights! NO TV until my homework is done! I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I HATE YOU!”
And you talk about jokes ?
OH - MY - GOD.
And what worse is he was reading it all off the teleprompter cause there was this screw up.
He says, “jobs you do once.” Full stop, and then realizes it should be “…once the workday ends…”
If you go to the transcript you’ll see.
You should be sooooooooo embarassed.
The jokes on you bub.
You’re boy is nothing but a poser.
And a really bad one at that
September 20th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Parrot, what more do you want? Her experience? She was a small town mayor and then governor of a state with a population the size of Fort Worth - and that since only December of ‘06. Her education? A BA in Journalism from Idaho. Her writings? None. Her legal background? None. Constitutional law? None. Foreign affairs experience? None. She’s the worst VP pick ever. Exteremly cynical and irresponsible. And if you don’t believe me, read George Will, Charles Krauthammer, David Brooks, etc.
Brooks: “She has not been engaged in national issues, does not have a repertoire of historic patterns and, like President Bush, she seems to compensate for her lack of experience with brashness and excessive decisiveness.”
Will: “So, Sarah Palin. The man who would be the oldest to embark on a first presidential term has chosen as his possible successor a person of negligible experience.”
Krauthammer: “The vice president’s only constitutional duty of any significance is to become president at a moment’s notice. Palin is not ready. Nor is Obama. But with Palin, the case against Obama evaporates.”
God man, just be honest.
And Sarbanes/Oxley (which realy isn’t nearly the big deal the loony Right makes it out to be and I should know as I worked in acct’ing for several years afterward for the HQ of the world’s largest container line) and not so much McCain/Feingold might be exceptions to the laizzez faire rule, but in most other respects he is laizzez faire. Just because you can pick out a couple of eceptions that doesn not mean you disprove the rule. Reagan raised taxes. GWB brought us Part D. Nixon imposed price controls. There are always exceptions to the rule but the rule remains in the mainstay the same.
Micky, Obama is educated, written, and far more experienced in just about everything than Palin. You’d have to be a little screwy to think otherwise.
JMJ
September 20th, 2008 at 9:27 pm
“Micky, Obama is educated, written, and far more experienced in just about everything than Palin. You’d have to be a little screwy to think otherwise.
Yea ?
Well, I’ll refer you to Giuliannis speech at the RNC.
Not “far more”.
Any fool knows thats not true in the slightest.
Your just saying it and once again have nothing to back it up.
The facts dictate otherwise.
Even Geraldine Ferraro agrees with me. (ya know, that dem lady that was once a nominee?) So I cant be all that screwey.
Obama has no accomplishments other than voting present and a couple books about himself non the less so you cant really say hes “written” and expect me to keep a straight face, and some really stupid stupid speechs.
As I pointed out above.
I can spot a line of crap a mile away.
I saw him on the horizon two years ago and knew it right away.
I used to agree with Erics initial feelings about him that he was nice guy, but not qualified to run any more than his drycleaner.
Its gotten to the point where not only is he not qualified by a long shot, I dont even think hes all that decent anymore.
My feelings for McCain have never declined like that in 20 years.
Obama came onto the scene and in two years hes just exposed himself more and more for the cheap hustler he is.
September 20th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Actually Jersey my question which you have avoided twice is Okay during his 4 years as vice-president what exactly did Dan Quayle do that put this nation at risk In other words what evidence do you have that he was and irresponsible pick. You have NOTHING. Nobody does because there is nothing in his performance as Vice President that supports that assessment and he was fairly active. The truth is he is an easy target because he made a public gaffe regarding the potato incident which was blown out of proportion. If you examine his public commentary and Al Gores, Gore has made far more STUPID and irresponsible statements but the press treated him with kid gloves
September 21st, 2008 at 10:42 am
Parrot, did you read my Krauthammer citation?
“The vice president’s only constitutional duty of any significance is to become president at a moment’s notice. Palin is not ready. Nor is Obama. But with Palin, the case against Obama evaporates.”
Unless GHWB died, there really isn’t much Quayle could have done to “put this nation at risk.” So your question is not only moot, it’s irrelevent and pointless. The reason his picking was irresponsible is that he was not qualified for the job of president. Get that yet?
Micky, at least Obama is very bright and respected. Those are two pretty good qualifications. Palin strikes me as neither. Even her own supporters seem only to respect here for her looks and gender. That’s hardly worth anything.
JMJ
September 21st, 2008 at 11:32 am
SO you have finally admitted that Obama is not ready to be president. Wow! Then you say that you would vote for somebody who is not ready for president but its irresponsible to put somebody not ready for president in a position that rarely has had to take the office and hasn’t in almost 50 years. I really don’t get that logic.
I am somebody who has said I think Obama is a bad choice but not that he is not qualified to be President. The qualifications I repeat are 35, a natural born citizen and of course if by election the Majority of the electoral vote. Beyond that nobody is probably prepared to be President, but in fact no president does it alone. They rely upon a staff of advisers and ultimately sink or swim based upon judgment not qualifications. Lincoln was probably the least qualified and did well. Hoover and Bush 41 were probably the most qualified and not nearly as good. SO you never can tell.
September 21st, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Jersey, you’re being deceptive again.
heres the entire context of that statement.
http://www.theminorityreportblog.com/story/gamecock/2008/09/05/schooling_krauthammer_on_presidential_rookies_why_democrats_lose_and_elitist_beltway_ignorance
“You win either way. Obama was sagging because of missteps that reflected the fundamental weakness of his candidacy. Which suggested McCain’s strategy: Make this a referendum on Obama, surely the least experienced, least qualified, least prepared presidential nominee in living memory.
Palin fatally undermines this entire line of attack. This is through no fault of her own. It is simply a function of her rookie status. The vice president’s only constitutional duty of any significance is to become president at a moment’s notice. Palin is not ready. Nor is Obama. But with Palin, the case against Obama evaporates.
This just says that neither is better than the other.
It could also say that Palin is just as ready as Obama.
Actually, it does say that.
“Even her own supporters seem only to respect here for her looks and gender. That’s hardly worth anything. ”
Thats a bunch of crap and you know it.
I know, I get it, you’re just doing your job going after her.
But there really isnt any validation that works comprehensively that proves she is less capable than Biden or Obama.
Which reminds me.
She is not competing for the same position as Obama.
The real question should be “can she do better than Biden “?
That !!!! I have no question about
September 21st, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Nice try, Parrot.
No, I never “admitted that Obama is not ready to be president.” I think he’s extremely bright and competent and will make at least an average president. I also think that the nation desparately needs a partisan shift to the Dems to undo the horrific damage done to the nation by the late GOP one-party state.
Micky,
Yes, Krauthammer and most other pundits, right or left, agree that Palin was probably a good political choice for the VP. But very few honest pundits think she’s actually competent or experienced enough to be president any time in the near future.
JMJ
September 21st, 2008 at 6:58 pm
That wasnt the point.
The point was that you would have everyone believe that Palin is less qualified than Obama.
Its not an accurate or fair comparison since its not the presidency she seeks.
You have to put her up against Biden, NOT OBAMA !
She is far more experienced in executive matters than Obama, but without a doubt more qualified than Biden.
I said nothing about political choice on behalf of any pundits.
You’re trying to spin things.
I was talking about whos more qualified.
She has shown competence in all endeavors, each one more difficult than the last and always succeeded.
Its a fact, you’re being a devoted hack.
You tried to lead us to believe that Palin was somehow underqualified by showing us just a small portion of what Krauthammer said.
When really what hes saying is that either is more qualified than the other.
Saying with her the case evaporated against Obama doesnt automatically make her more or less qualified.
It just means that they cant really argue with each other whos ready.
Because no one is ever ready on day one.
But still.
The question is not if she can lead the country.
Its if she can lead the country should something happen to McCain.
I’m sure that McCain wont keel over on his first day and that Plin will plenty of time to know the ropes.
She has done this kind of thing before.
Biden has not.
But still, neither has Obama, which is why the joke is on you.
Even our VP pick is more qualified than your presidential pick.
Thats gotta hurt