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Hawaii's relatively few number of delegates, 20, still matter very much even this late in the Primary and Caucus cycle. Leading candidates are ramping up their presence here ahead of Tuesday night's Caucus. Most of the leading candidates have a son or daughter here in the islands hoping to help secure delegates for the party nomination. "Hawaii gets to have a say in who they want to be the nominee to go up against Obama. So I'm encouraged on Tuesday. Every vote matters," said Rick Santorum's daughter, Elizabeth....

Ed Henry of Fox News has been tweeting about the rumors: President basically told Boehner, if you pass two-month extension Democrats will move forward on talks over one-year deal … This is big morning in this story: now have the outline of a deal; if Boehner passes two-month extend, Reid appoints conferees on 1-yr deal Update: It’s being widely reported that Boehner tried to get Obama to reopen negotiations, but ended up with a refusal: “The speaker explained his concern that flaws in the Senate-passed bill will be unworkable for many small business job creators,” an aide to the Ohio...

Could Herman Cain actually become the person who faces President Obama in the general election? The Republican presidential hopeful is riding high after a surprising and stunning victory in last weekend’s Florida straw poll. He says that the win has given his campaign momentum and is proof that he could go on to win his party’s nomination. I seriously doubt it, but a man can dream, can’t he? Still, he’s got people talking. There’s no doubt that such a matchup certainly would be one of history’s most interesting and widely watched contests. At one point people never imagined that Obama,...

It’s not only Republican governors who are cheering for Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and Ohio’s Governor John Kasich as they work to rein-in public employees’ union in those state. Democrats, including Hawai‘i’s own Neil Abercrombie, holding the top jobs in other statehouses may be closet fans – because they face the same problems Walker and Kasich are bravely trying to solve as they seek to balance their budgets. On the federal level, I am pessimistic about President Obama on this issue. Obama faces no statutory requirement to balance the federal budget and will soon have increased the total federal debt...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama is likely to delay the start of his Christmas vacation to help several of his key legislative goals pass Congress before the end of the year, the White House said on Monday. Obama is tentatively scheduled to depart on Saturday for Hawaii, where the family traditionally spends its year-end vacation. But lawmakers are still debating the extension of Bush-era tax cuts and a new nuclear weapons deal, both of which Obama is eager to see approved. "The president will be here for as long as Congress is here," said White House spokesman Robert Gibbs,...

'The question has been asked and answered, and I think we should all move on now' ### ..... the governor of Hawaii is now publicly voicing the alleged exact location of Obama's birth, saying "the president was, in fact, born at Kapi'olani Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii" The disclosure is believed to be the first time a state government official has declared the precise place where Obama was born, despite numerous other published claims, including some for a different hospital in Honolulu. The remark came Sunday night when Gov. Linda Lingle, a Republican, was interviewed on New York's WABC Radio by...

Mayor Gavin Newsom was spotted this morning at City Hall, but there's still no word on his mysterious disappearance. He arrived at his office at about 9:30 a.m., walking past members of the media who were hoping he'd comment on his absence. No such luck. "The mayor is back, and he's busy conducting meetings in his office in City Hall right now," said his spokesman, Nathan Ballard. Newsom is meeting with staff and plans to meet with both sides of the hotel workers' dispute sometime today, Ballard said. He is not planning to make any public appearances. "He's been kept...

From major conferences at the Moscone Center to small coffee shops in the Mission, San Franciscans are buzzing about Mayor Gavin Newsom and the stunning turn of fortune that in a few short days took him from being a candidate for governor to hiding out in Hawaii. From Newsom's highs, like his law-breaking same-sex marriages in 2004, to his lows, like an admitted affair and alcohol problem in 2007, the telegenic, risk-prone mayor has always given his constituents something to wag their tongues about - and this bizarre chapter is no different. Last Friday, hours after speaking before a bank...

It's understandable that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, having given up on his gubernatorial ambitions, might want to take time to lick wounds, lie low and, as my colleague C.W. Nevius suggests, do some reflecting. Unfortunately, there's important and immediate mayoral business to attend to. When Newsom's press secretary, Nathan Ballard, told The Chronicle that Newsom will be back "soon," one hoped he meant this morning. That's when Newsom was scheduled to speak to 6,000 land-use professionals, architects, planners, real estate developers and other urban experts from all over the world at the opening of the Urban Land Institute conference...

After three days of radio silence following his withdrawal from the governor's race, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom unexpectedly jetted off Tuesday morning to Hawaii to join his wife and baby daughter, who already were vacationing there. The trip, which the mayor apparently booked on his own, caught his staffers off guard. Many did not know he was gone until the city attorney's office sent out a notice informing them that the mayor had left the state and naming Supervisor Carmen Chu acting mayor.Mayoral spokesman Nathan Ballard apparently was among those who did not get a heads-up about the trip....

Veterans In Politics Talk Show Introduces Johnny Jackson LIVE on www.AllTalkRadio.net June 27: Johnny Jackson owner of Aloha Political Consulting Company: "Veterans In Politics" is a weekly radio show produced by the Veterans In Politics International and hosted by Steve Sanson and co-hosted by Ronda Baldwin Kennedy. The "Veterans In Politics" show is live every Saturday 2:05 PM Pacific Time you can call in and speak to the guest or/and hosts at (702) 309-6690.

CAMP TAJI — Warrior Brigade continued its tradition of eliminating cultural divides by hosting an recent Iftar dinner here. Col. Todd McCaffrey, commander, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division – Baghdad, and other senior leaders hosted Iraqi Army (IA), Police (IP) and National Police (NP) commanders during the traditional meal, which Muslims have at the end of daily fasting during Ramadan. “The colonel ate dates and drank water to break the fast, just like one of us,” said NP Col. Ahmed Mohammed Mohammed Saleh, commander, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, referring to the Quran verse “When one...

Aloha cancels 7 round-trip cargo flights due to 'sick' pilots Lender GMAC agrees to put in $3 million in new financing despite an impasse in labor talks David Segal dsegal@starbulletin.com Nearly half of Aloha Airlines’ cargo flights last night were canceled after pilots called in sick amid “deteriorating” labor talks between the union and the company. All U.S. Mail and time-sensitive goods were delivered, according to Aloha spokesman Stu Glauberman, who said the company was calling up reserve pilots today to assist with the flight schedule. Aloha was forced to cancel seven of 16 round-trip nighttime flights, but reported that...

Agency aids stranded travelers $5M budgeted to help those grounded by airline shutdowns By Allison Schaefers aschaefers@starbulletin.com The Hawaii Tourism Authority gave tourism leaders approval yesterday to spend up to $5 million in emergency funds to underwrite additional airline service for passengers who have been unable to secure alternative flights following the shutdown of ATA Airlines' operations. In the aftermath left by the shutdown of two prime West Coast carriers, some 9,000 stranded visitors were still trying to get out of Hawaii, and another 1,377 visitors and residents were trying to make it back to the islands. While some 6,200...

Aloha’s downfall may help Superferry survive The demise of Aloha Airlines gives the vessel a bigger role in the travel industry Timing may be everything for the Hawaii Superferry. With the shutdown of Aloha Airlines' passenger operations Monday and improving spring weather conditions, the Alakai will be better positioned to stay in operation after it resumes its Oahu-Maui service on Monday, the company's top executive and industry experts say. The 866-passenger vessel will sail more than two weeks ahead of schedule, after nearly two months of maintenance and repair work. The Superferry has been plagued by legal delays and high...

Loss of ATA and Aloha could mar tourism By Allison Schaefers aschaefers@starbulletin.com The loss of nearly 15 percent of the airline capacity to Hawaii this week with the abrupt closure of ATA Airlines and Aloha Airlines is sending shock waves through the state's visitor industry. State tourism officials said other carriers' existing flights could have filled the void left by Aloha. But the loss of ATA's seats could cause state visitor counts to fall by more than a half-million in the next nine months if new flights are not added, said state Tourism Liaison Marsha Wienert. "It could be devastating...

Aloha lays off 150 more The shutdown of ATA bleeds revenue from the local carrier's leftover business By Dave Segal dsegal@starbulletin.com Aloha Airlines employees, reeling from the loss of 1,900 jobs in connection with Monday's shutdown of passenger operations, suffered another blow yesterday when the company terminated 150 workers from its aviation services division. The latest job losses became necessary after ATA Airlines abruptly ceased all operations late Wednesday night. Aloha had depended on ATA for 20 percent of its revenue in aviation services. Aloha attorney Paul Singerman told federal Bankruptcy Judge Lloyd King that the loss of the revenue...

Aloha Airlines said Sunday it will halt all passenger service after Monday, signaling the end of an airline that has served Hawaii for more than 60 years. Aloha, which filed for bankruptcy for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 20, was a casualty of fierce competition and rising fuel prices. The airline said it will stop taking reservations for flights after Monday. We simply ran out of time to find a qualified buyer or secure continued financing for our passenger business," said Aloha President David Banmiller in a statement. "We had no choice but to take this action." Aloha has...

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (NNS) -- Honolulu's namesake ship is preparing to say farewell to its island home after two decades of service. USS Honolulu (SSN 718), which is scheduled to inactivate next year, will hold a farewell ceremony April 15 prior to departing Hawaii on her final deployment to the Western Pacific. "This is an exciting and challenging time for us," said Cmdr. John Russ, the nuclear-powered attack submarine's commanding officer. "We're preparing to leave our homeport for the last time, and at the same time we're going through the normal challenges associated with getting the ship ready to deploy."...

Three of the most prestigious [sic] newspapers in the United States, the New York Times, Boston Globe and Philadelphia Inquirer, announced job cuts Tuesday. ... Like most other newspapers, the Times Co. and Philadelphia Newspapers have been hit by declining circulation and ad revenue as both readers and advertisers turn to the Internet.

. Former CNN 'Crossfire' Co-Host Michael Kingsley is now outta there as Head of the Los Angeles Times Editorial Department, while being labeled a failure in trying to revamp that Department. .

There may be the "Hawaiian word of the day" at Camp Victory in Iraq, but there isn't complete aloha for the shaka favored by Hawai'i National Guard soldiers. The thumb-and-pinkie salute, a ubiquitous symbol of pride, heritage and greeting in Hawai'i, was banned at Camp Victory guard stations after a National Guard soldier mistakenly flashed a shaka to a senior officer instead of a salute.

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) -- The state has evicted a Maui woman from a lava tube she has lived in for the last three years. Karen Mayfield, 50, has pleaded innocent to three misdemeanor charges for illegal camping, disturbing a geological feature and littering. Her trial is scheduled to start May 31. Mayfield said she isn't allowed to stay in the lava tube while her court case is pending. "I really miss it out there," she said. "I really prefer living an alternate lifestyle where I can hear the wind blow and see the stars at night." Earlier this week, her...

Okay, probably not the best ever. But knowing how Freepers just love to shoot down a boaster, I figure this is bait they won't be able to resist. ;^)The Farewell Opus is a grand old tradition here at Free Republic, and there are certain rules one should follow, but I'm going to break some of them. FIRST... I'm supposed to moan about how Free Republic used to be so great, but now it's changed and become nothing but a feuding, controlling zionist forum, or Bush-lovers forum, or whatever.Not at all. I've been on FR since October 1999. I first appeared...