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Friday, February 04, 2000
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Gibbons backs Bush, OK with his stance on nuclear waste
By Jane Ann Morrison
Review-Journal
When other Republican politicos flocked to endorse Texas Gov. George W. Bush in 1999, Nevada's Rep. Jim Gibbons held back and said he wanted better answers about the presidential candidate's position on nuclear waste.
But on Thursday, when Bush was still smarting from his 18 percentage point loss to U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona in the New Hampshire GOP presidential primary, Gibbons jumped off the fence and endorsed ... Bush.
Bush has not clarified his position any further -- other than to say he will talk about it with Gibbons and Gov. Kenny Guinn -- but Gibbons is praising that as an "open-door policy which speaks volumes about his willingness to listen and learn."
Gibbons said he would support McCain if McCain becomes the Republican nominee. But Gibbons said he decided to endorse Bush now and not stay on the sidelines.
"He's shown me he has a deep commitment to our men and women in uniform, and he believes issues like gaming are state issues, which is exactly what we in Nevada have believed for so long," Gibbons said.
He also said that by waiting to give his endorsement, he gained "some recognition of our presence." If Gibbons had joined with the 174 members of Congress who endorsed Bush early on, "I would be one snowflake in a snowstorm."
"Individualized, you play a much different role and have a much different impact on the election," said Gibbons, the 175th House Republican to endorse Bush.
Gibbons said McCain's co-sponsoring of a bill that would ban betting on college sports in legal sports books in Nevada played a role in his decision.
But when asked about Bush having a fund-raiser in his inner circle who is aligned with the nuclear power industry, Gibbons said, "I am for a Republican president in 2001, and this year I'll do what it takes to assure it's a Republican that's elected."
One of McCain's Nevada supporters, lobbyist Hal Furman, said, "I wish he (Gibbons) would have waited until after South Carolina to endorse because John is poised to win that state, and that will raise questions about the viability of Bush."
South Carolina will hold its primary election Feb. 19.
Furman said McCain's endorsement of the ban on college sports betting should be looked at in context.
"John has a 17-year record voting on gaming issues, and he's been a real friend of Nevada and Nevada gaming," he said. "Ask anyone on the Strip, and they'll say he's been a strong supporter."
Furman and his wife, Sally, spent the four days before Tuesday's New Hampshire primary working for McCain there.
"We worked the polls, handing out literature, making calls and doing grass-roots politics," Hal Furman said.
McCain's votes on nuclear waste issues are mixed, Furman said.
While McCain voted against the "Screw Nevada" bill, which chose Nevada as the only site to be studied for long-term storage of nuclear waste, Furman acknowledged McCain has voted in ways Nevadans may not like on nuclear issues.
Furman, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in 1994, said he started raising money for McCain in January and so far has raised an estimated $250,000 from Nevada backers.
Furman is organizing a Feb. 28 fund-raising cocktail party in Las Vegas featuring McCain's wife, Cindy.
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Rep. Jim Gibbons, George W. Bush backer
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