Got Mufi? Now what?

Where’s Mufi? That’s not the name of a new game, though it might be, especially when applied to politics and government in Honolulu.

Mufi Hanneman, Honolulu City and County’s mayor and arguably the tallest local government official, has developed a decidedly lower profile than previous mayors. Why?

No Honolulu mayor had a higher, more visible, more contentious (fun to watch) public profile than Frank F. Fasi. His successor, Jeremy Harris, worked diligently to follow in Fasi’s footsteps. First, by daily visibility on a scale never seen by a politician in Hawaii. Second, by creating financial problems and obligations for future mayors (on a scale never inflicted by a previous politician in Hawaii).

Perhaps you’ve wondered where Mayor Mufi has been since his election. It’s one of two places. Sitting alone in his office wondering where local Camelot went, or buried in the day-to-day details of running a major city, and fixing all that was neglected by predecessors.

I suspect Mayor Mufi is no longer giving much thought to the glory of being the official mayor of paradise.

What makes a person run for high public office? Ego? Money? Power? A sincere desire to help fellow citizens? Pick any two and you’d be correct.

Mufi’s opponent in the mayoral election in 2004, Duke Bainum, left Hawaii to devote more time to learn the benefits of political obscurity. Sour grapes taste better when you’re busy helping humanity– somewhere else. Bainum spent nearly $3-million of family money in the campaign against Mufi, and lost by only 1,350 votes.

A mayor is a public servant and it should be a tough, demanding job. Unfortunately for Mufi, it’s more challenging, tough, and demanding than it was for his predecessors.

If Duke doesn’t have as much money left to count as he did before the last mayoral campaign, maybe he should count his blessings instead.