C-SPAN Mixes Up Hawaiian Pols

Posted March 27, 2015 at 12:05pm

Updated: 5:50 p.m. | Blame it on the pre-recess jitters. Or perhaps vote-a-rama fatigue.  

Either way, the de facto congressional programming gods showed their feet of clay during the marathon viewing party that was Can’t-Tell’em-Apart-Thursday.  

(Screenshot)
(Screenshot)

Mind you, us print folks have already copped to occasionally being stumped by which older white man in a suit is popping off at the mouth. But our counterparts over at C-SPAN appear to be having real trouble differentiating among Asian-American lawmakers.  

The comedy of errors commenced as soon as Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., stepped up to the mics.

Sorry, guys, but the fact that the chair ceded the floor to the gentleman from California should have tipped you off that that couldn’t be Rep. Mark Takai, D-Hawaii, taking the GOP to task about climate change.  

Some 13 hours later, it was time to cast Sen. Mazie K. Hirono, D-Hawaii, in a terribly awkward light.  

Yep, in the ultimate #ThrowbackThursday, Team C-SPAN resurrected the nameplate for the late Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, D-Hawaii and briefly attached it to the sitting solon.  

Mistakes happen.  

Rather than dwell on the negative, HOH would like to share these quickie facts about the aforementioned pols:  

Ted Lieu

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Aries (Happy early birthday, sir!). Lawyer. Californian.  

Mark Takai

(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
(Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Iraq War veteran. All-American swimmer (Twice!). Born in Hawaii.  

Daniel K. Inouye

(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
(Chris Maddaloni/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

War hero . Arts aficionado . Deceased .  

Mazie K. Hirono

(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)
(Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call File Photo)

Genial hostess . LGBT activist . Oh yeah, and she’s a woman.  

Ed. note: This post was updated to reflect Takai’s birthplace.
Related:

Take Five: Ted Lieu


Take Five: Mark Takai


Mazie Hirono Shepherds Taste of Hawaii to the Hill


The 114th: CQ Roll Call’s Guide to the New Congress


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