Vote Gibbons Out! Jim Gibbons is America's Worst Governor!

Gibbons Revisionist History

So Gibbons got soft-balled on Hardball with Chris Matthews. Hangin' with the beauty queens has mellowed out Matthews quite a bit.

I swear Matthews took pity on the Gibster when he saw how the Gibster tripped up when Matthews challenged Gibbons' remark about Nevada being "unique." Matthews countered that "all states are unique," and Gibbons' had the pained expression of a man drowning in his own incompetence.

Anyways, Gleaner caught the gaffe of the day, wherein Gibbons says that the Yucca Mountain project is "good science," a statement he himself has denied many times in the past. (Here, here, here...)

But there's another goody. During his tirade about how Bush's surge will win the War in Iraq, Gibbons said:

Gibbons: [The Surge] is going to change the policy of how we address that war, that conflict over there, rather than changing the logistics aspect of it. If you change the policy of how we treat those insurgents and the terrorists that are over there, then we can win that war.

Matthews: You really think that government over there is willing to take down the killing squads and the militia?

Gibbons: I hope so. Because that's the only way...

Matthews: That's the bet we're making here.

Gibbons: And that's the one that's going to change the outcome of this war.

Matthews: Do you think it could turn out to be the worst mistake since Vietnam to go in there?

Gibbons: No, absolutely not.

Matthews: You still think that it's probably a good bet?

Gibbons: Well, I'll tell you something, uh, when you look back at history, you see the thousands and thousands of innocent people that died under the previous regime there, how can you sit here and say changing that regime wasn't a good idea? Were we able to project and predict what would occur today? I don't think so.

Well, there was one feller who so predicted. Take a gander at this excerpt from a Coolican piece:

Although a reliable, 90 percent supporter of President Bush's policies, Gibbons has never had the kind of settled ideology or convictions of most of his colleagues. During the 1990s, he opposed a policy of regime change in Iraq, warning that it could lead to a protracted occupation, sectarian violence, and Iranian and Syrian manipulation.

Oops. One can only wonder why Gibbons insists on defending so vehemently the failed policies of a President which even he thinks are doomed to failure.

Pumps??

Add this to the goofiness that surrounds the Gibbons' candidacy for Governor:

Barbara Vucanovich, Gibbons' predecessor in NVCD-2, was in Washington pushing her navel-gazing screed, when the Gibster pops off that he had "big pumps" to fill when he took her job. So says the LVSun, anyways.

Goofiness in the same vein as his speech about folks having sexual fantasies about him.

And I thought Mistress Lee made this race kinky.

And while all this fun was going on, Gibbons votes to steal your right to sue big corporations that try to kill or hurt you.

Always standing up for the little guy, Gibbons is.

In pumps.

There's a Big Empty Space Where Gibbons' Speeches Used to Be

So, I tried to take a breather from this Gibbons-Plagiarism-Scream thing by returning to my "normal" life this Sunday, but the nonsense won't go away.

Gibbons has taken down all the speeches from his website.

There's nothing there. Emptier than central Nevada. Gone. Vanished.

Go look. But hurry. By Monday I bet they're back.

Looking at that webpage is like looking at a mythical creature; a silent politician is more rare than a unicorn.

And we know what's going on, don't we? Some poor Gibby staffers are working the weekend combing over the speeches to purge all the stolen passages.

Kinda feel sorry for those guys. Hey: do us all a favor: quit and find more honorable jobs.

New editorials in the Vegas Press:

Jon Ralston wrote a column called "G-Men Should Know Better" where he talks about Gibbons and Mayor Oscar Goodman. Both made fools of themselves this week. Ralston says that while Elko may like Gibbons' right-wing babble, Las Vegas won't. That's good to hear. Gibbons is going to need some of Clark County to win, but he may have alienated too many of us with is current nonsense.

Unfortunately, memories are short and November 2006 a long way off.

Most disgusting thing in the article: Ralston raised the possibility the Bob Beers might run for Governor if GIbbons keeps messing up. Believe me folks, a Beers' win would be worse than a Gibbons' win.

The Las Vegas Sun ran a long editorial about Gibbons. Here are some high points:

"His remarks of late tell us that Gibbons, who was first elected to Congress in 1996, has become part of the Washington crowd that believes trashing their political opponents is more important than reaching common ground to find solutions to some of our nation's most pressing problems. Such invective certainly is ill-suited for Nevada, especially for a person who aspires to be governor one day. Indeed, Gibbons stands in stark contrast to the two moderates who have been our governors during the past 16 years -- Republican Kenny Guinn and Democrat Bob Miller, both of whom have been praised for working well with, and reaching out to, those from the opposite party. (It's also instructive that Miller defeated Gibbons in a landslide in their race for governor in 1994.)

"Instead of auditioning for governor of Nevada, Gibbons' fiery, caustic remarks lately would seem a better fit for somebody auditioning to be a right-wing radio talk show host. It's well over a year before serious campaigning begins, but Gibbons' recent actions are already calling into question his fitness for the highest office in the state of Nevada."

Thanks to everyone who sent me info about the missing speeches: nvdems.com, Mary Smith from mydd.com (who spotted the missing pages first), and Jerome who left a comment here and has a lot more to say about Gibbons here.

Keep saying it: Gibbons ain't gonna be our Gov!

And then do something: Send the Nevada Democrats Money!

Update: Gibbons' goofiness made the Washington Post (requires registration)

Update: Raw Story has the story plus some screenshots of old speeches. Now get out there and Google them to see how much of them was stolen. Thanks to Liberal Patriots for the heads up.

TITUS: "Not only is it a bad speech, it's a bad stolen speech"

Dina Titus, the Nevada State Senate Minority Leader, and probable opponent to Gibbons in the Governor's race, had the best sound bite about Gibbons' plagiarized speech. She said:

"Not only is it a bad speech; it's a bad, stolen speech."

Gibbons' other probable Democratic opponent, Nevada State Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, was less pithy:

"Not only did he not provide any leadership in his speech, it appears that he wasn't even intellectually honest with his audience. If he still has an interest in running for governor, I'm not sure Nevadans will want somebody who's not going to be honest with him."

I think I would have been more impressed if Perkins had squeezed a couple more negatives in there.

Nevada Lieutenant Governor Lorraine Hunt, a likely Republican contender for the Governorship, said in a speech that could pass for oatmeal:

"I truly believe it's important at this time that leaders bring people together and not be divisive. At the same event I quoted Abraham Lincoln."

All these quotes are courtesy of the right-wing rag, Las Vegas Review Journal, which published what I suspect is its first ever negative piece about Congressman Jim Gibbons.

Other Nevada newspapers: Las Vegas Sun, Reno Gazette Journal, and the one which started it all: The Elko Daily Free Press. And, believe it or not, commentary from the Lahotan Vally News.

Newspapers from Alabama, where Beth Chapman, victim of Gibbons' intellectual theft, lives are picking up the story: al.com, Dateline Alabama, and the Columbus, Georgia, Ledger-Enquirer.

Interesting: Kansas City Star and Washington Times are a day or two behind the news cycle. They don't even know about the plagiarism.

"Gibbons Scream" Plagiarized

Looks like Gibbons didn't even write his own rant. He stole it from Alabama State Auditor Beth Chapman.

Read about it at nvdems.com and Eschaton and, originally, the Elko Daily Free Press, which may go down in history as the paper which killed Gibby's Gubernatorial candidacy.

Thanks to Plaudit and nvdems.com for the heads-up.

Give Gibbons a flunking grade and vote him out!

Keep saying it: Gibbons ain't gonna be my Gov!

Yet another Rant from Congressman Jim "Goofy" Gibbons

It's getting to the point that I can't keep up with Congressman Gibbons Gubernatorial Campaign Goofiness.

Thank goodness there a bunch of others carrying the load (finally!).  Like nvdems.com and, slowly, nvdems.blogspot.com.

Old Gibbons showed his true colors in Elko at a speech to the Elko NeRPs (Nevada Repuklican Party hacks). I like to hear politicians give speeches to the party faithful. You really find out what they stand for on such occasions.

According to the right-wing Elko rag, the Elko Daily Free Press, "spirits soared" (gorge rose?) as the Elko NeRP's wallowed in Gibbons' jingoistic spew. Gibbons has apparently decided to give up his moderate facade and show us the real man behind the mask.

And it ain't pretty, folks.

High, I mean, low points:

Gibbons wondered how Abraham Lincoln would "feel, what would he be thinking about, all of the dissension, all of the division, that the liberals and a few others, including some our [sic] movie stars and song makers, are trying to divide this country over its efforts to establish freedom and liberty in countries around the world?" I suspect Lincoln didn't give much thought to movie stars. Poor old Abe...looking down from Heaven to see his party filled with goofy guys like Gibbons.

He continued: "We are all here tonight because men and women of the United States military have given their lives for our freedom. We are here tonight not because of Rosie O'Donnell, Martin Sheen, George Clooney, Jane Fonda or Phil Donahue - they never sacrificed their lives for us or for liberty." Sigh. Others have already noted that very few of the highest current administration officials came anywhere near to risking their lives in war, and many, including Gibbons' own president, went to great lengths to avoid combat duty. Yes, folks, (how can I resist it?) I'm talking about the Chicken Hawks! What a grand time to  revive that great old link!

Gibbons admitted that we are at war in his speech. He denied this back in July 2004 when he said "there is no war in Iraq." (Unless we declared a new one just recently and I missed it). Of course, keeping the electorate informed is not a Bush or a NeRP priority. And not just any war. We are now fighting World War III, according to Gibbons. Now where did I put my bomb shelter?

This is very interesting: Gibbons implied that he is anti-abortion: "I want to know how these very people who are against war because of loss of life can possibly be the same people who are for abortion? ... They are the same people who are for animal rights, but they are not for the rights of the unborn." All this time he has pretended to be pro-choice, but now he has finally admitted where he stands on the issue: squarely against women's rights. Hope Steve Sebelius was paying attention.

Lots more comments here.

Keep sayin' it: Gibbons Ain't Gonna Be My Gov!

Ooops: Gibbons Opens Mouth: Inserts Anti-Communist Foot

Well, too much fun today. Congressman Jim Gibbons called anyone who thinks corporations are spending too much on Presidential Inaugurations a "communist." This was on national news Wednesday. Gibbons "crack" spin-doctor team, presumably run by Sig Rogich, tried to staunch the blood rushing from the Gubernatorial campaign. Let's hope they fail.

Or could it be a clever ruse to gain support of McCarthy-ites in the State? Goodness knows there are Bob-Beers-like wackos that love that stuff. But surely most Nevadans will think Gibbons is just nutty. Right? Right???

This is the kind of thing that happens when I go out of town.

Yet another reason to VOTE GIBBONS OUT!

Some blogs talking about it:

TheCorrection.org

TheMonsignor

NevadaPolitics.com

Plaudit wonders why the Nevada press hasn't picked up the story. That's a good question. The Las Vegas Sun finally did, but, of course, the Review Journal didn't.