Last week, the ruling party’s founder and titular head himself announced his anointed one in a press con that was timed for our paper’s Friday edition (the newspaper equivalent of prime time TV).
Incumbent Congressman Kilili, in any case, should thank the governor — for endorsing someone else.
The governor, to be sure, is the CNMI’s ultimate comeback kid. After emerging from political retirement in 1999, he won a House seat and became speaker by defecting from the GOP, of which he was the chairman for years. Two years later, despite a well-financed campaign, he lost resoundingly, by 18+ percentage points, in the gubernatorial election only to win a House seat in 2003 and become speaker once again. A kinder and gentler candidate in the 2005 elections, he eked out a victory in the four-way gubernatorial race. In 2009, with the economy in tatters and a runoff provision in place, he was practically written off by his critics (except by this columnist) and he surprised them all by placing a strong second in the general elections, just 8 votes behind the GOP candidate. Prior to the runoff, he skillfully used the power of his office to reach out and wheel and deal with those who were supposedly with the opposition, including prominent Republicans who were already looking forward to the 2014 GOP primary. And so despite his poor record, despite the worsening economy, despite his broken promises, despite his failed administration, the governor beat his opponent by over 300 votes in the closest gubernatorial election since 1977 (if we do not include the 2005 and the 2009 general elections). Moreover, Uncle Ben won a majority of the votes cast, the first gubernatorial candidate to do so since 1993. It was, quite possibly, the most impressive political feat in CNMI history. I don’t think it’s surprising that a recently unemployed but still ambitious politician would be attracted to the governor’s party (whose shelf-life has been extended for five more years).
So this is Joe’s “reward.” I thought he was aiming for a judgeship, but I guess someone else would get the nomination now if Judge Mona Manglona is appointed to the federal court.
Now Joe Camacho is a pleasant fellow who wants to serve the people of the CNMI, but his two-year stint in the House wasn’t exactly memorable, except for his speech opposing Tina Sablan’s proposal to impeach the governor and urge the then-lt. governor, indicated for corruption, to resign. It’s also hard to pin down his political principles because he changes them in every election. He ran as a Republican in 2007 while supporting an Independent House candidate in Precinct 5. He deserted his party to support another Independent candidate in 2008 (Kilili). The following year, he joined a former Democrat and ran as an Independent candidate for lt. governor, campaigning on a platform of change. In the runoff he backed the governor, and is now the congressional candidate of the status quo.
Last week’s Covenant gathering for Joe was held at the governor’s residence apparently to drive home the point that Camacho was indeed the chosen one. During the press con, Covenant partisans took several pot shots at Kilili. Dolores Aldan was “proud” that her party “has a more qualified candidate.” The CNMI “will be in good hands if he wins this,” said the former Corrections chief who escorted a federal detainee to the governor’s house so she could massage him. Get it? Good hands.
Joe’s campaign manager said the delegate should “support…this administration instead of having a separate set of priorities.” Joe, for his part, said the delegate, does not work for the federal government, but should work for the people of the CNMI. “We need a delegate who is qualified,” he said, “willing to cooperate with other people in order to get the job done, and has the ability to put the interest of the people first.”
In other words, they’re saying that Kilili is “unqualified” and is not doing a good job.
But the Covenant Party’s definition of “qualified” and “good job” appears to be disconnected with the usual dictionary meaning of these words. This is the party that has, and still is, presiding over the economic meltdown of the CNMI, the financial collapse of its government, and the loss of local control over labor and immigration policies. And its members dare lecture the people about how an elected official should perform in office?
If we set aside what we really think about this administration, the ruling party, Joe and Kilili and just focus on what the incumbent congressional delegate has done since he was sworn into office in Jan. 2009, then it is clear that he has performed extremely well. Like the Energizer bunny, Kilili keeps going and going. He has tirelessly, consistently and persistently pushed CNMI issues in D.C. However, he is not the governor’s puppet, which is apparently what the Covenant Party wants him to be. (The “proper” relationship between the governor and the CNMI’s man in D.C. was already a contentious issue back in the days when the commonwealth still had a Washington rep.)
But the congressional delegate doesn’t work for the governor; he is elected directly by the CNMI people. It is not his job to be the governor’s yes-man. The governor, for example, opposes the minimum wage hike and is still resisting federalization. Kilili has other ideas. Who do you think is in tune with the local people’s sentiments about these issues?
Before the 2009 polls, at any rate, the governor’s chances were underestimated; now it his endorsement that is being overestimated. But this time he is not on the ticket, and the election in November is not a matter of life and death for administration officials and their families. Their jobs or contracts have been renewed already, and with the coming austerity measures and other unpopular revenue-raising legislation that this administration and Legislature will inflict on the community, this year’s poll may turn into a referendum on the administration.
The election is still eight months away; a lot can still happen and other candidates will also file their petitions, but it is safe to say that given a choice between an incumbent who is doing a good job and his opponent who promises to work closely with a failed administration…
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