Hawaii PBS Chief Steps Down to Run for State Democratic Party Chair

Perhaps it should strike no one as big news that PBS and Democrats often go together like peanut butter and jelly. The Honolulu Star Bulletin reported today that the president and CEO of PBS-Hawaii, Mike McCartney, is running for chairman of the state's Democratic Party:

McCartney says he has taken a leave of absence from the statewide public television operation and will step down next month.

McCartney previously said he was considering either a campaign for governor or lieutenant governor this year, but withdrew in favor of working as a party leader.

"I believe in the party, and I want to get back into public service," McCartney said.

He served 10 years in the state Senate and two years as state director of human resources under former Gov. Ben Cayetano.

"For me the community is my canvas and politics is my paint," McCartney said.

"We have to create hope and not just say there is something wrong with the Republicans. We want to say what is good about the Democrats," McCartney said.

In other culture-of-corruption news, the last paragraph reported: "The Democrats are facing an investigation brought by the Hawaii Republican Party, which claims the Democrats in Hawaii, Maine and Massachusetts illegally laundered campaign money for Rhode Island Secretary of State Matt Brown."