My, the thwarting going on.

Thwarting and attempted thwarting seem to be what's driving a number of notable political campaigns launched in the last minute on the last day to file.

It's one thing to want to win. It's another to want to make sure someone else doesn't.

Ann Kobayashi threw her name in the mayor's race Tuesday so that Mufi Hannemann wouldn't get a pass.

Meanwhile, at the Hannemann camp:

"Hey, guess what? Kobayashi is running against you."

"Yeah? So?"

"And Duke Bainum is running for her council seat."

"Oh, heck no. Quick, who do we know in Manoa?"

Then there's Kirk Caldwell, suddenly ready to give up his nice office and high status at the state Capitol for a squeaky chair and parallel parking at City Hall. Or is he thwarting on Hannemann's behalf? That there is a gooooood friend.

Meanwhile, who's running to replace Caldwell in the Senate? Why, it's a Hannemann staffer. That worked out nicely.

Hannemann has become a love-him-or-hate-him kind of mayor. There are both extremes in good measure and very little of the "Oh, I guess he's OK" opinion. Often, political leaders who are simultaneously adored and despised are the best kind. It means they're doing something. But sometimes they're despots who fooled some of the people all of the time.

Panos Prevedouros, the rail-thwarter, certainly has his club of devotees, but he has a huge "Who's that?" factor. "Never heard of him" can be worse than "hate him" in the voting booth.

Kobayashi had to weigh all that at breakfast Tuesday morning, when she said she talked with family members and came to her decision. How much is Hannemann hated? By how many people?

What if Hannemann and his train are hated so much that a professor with no political experience and a name harder to pronounce than Muliufi actually has a chance? What if that chance could go to somebody who has made a career in local politics? That's a lot to chew on over corn flakes.

Meanwhile, the most plainspoken thwarter of all is also running for Honolulu mayor. She spelled out her thwarting platform in her name, which she had changed legally to: Jaqueline Romaine Stop-Rail-Transit Maly.

Which is so upfront and refreshing in a candidate, and perhaps should be extended to Ann I-might-get-chance Kobayashi, Duke I'm-baaaaaack Bainum, Kirk Oh-no-you're-not Caldwell and Chrystn Mufi-told-me-to Eads.

Lee Cataluna's column runs Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Reach her at 535-8172 or lcataluna@honoluluadvertiser.com.