Monday, December 30, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Election year brings out notable quotes on politics
Yucca Mountain decision, run-up to November dominate discourse
By JANE ANN MORRISON
REVIEW-JOURNAL
"All Americans should be concerned, not just because he lied to me or the people of Nevada and indeed all Americans, but because the president's decision threatens American lives."
U.S. SEN. HARRY REID
ON PRESIDENT BUSH'S RECOMMENDATION OF YUCCA MOUNTAIN FOR STORAGE OF NUCLEAR WASTE
"That piece of garbage."
LAS VEGAS MAYOR
OSCAR GOODMAN
DESCRIBING ENERGY SECRETARY SPENCER ABRAHAM THE DAY ABRAHAM SAID HE INTENDED TO RECOMMEND YUCCA MOUNTAIN AS A NUCLEAR WASTE SITE
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Election year politics brought some memorable quotes in 2002. Some were audacious, others were funny, and some were notable for not saying anything at all. Here is a sampling of what Nevada's politicians thought of the issues of the day, and each other, in the past year:
"All Americans should be concerned, not just because he lied to me or the people of Nevada and indeed all Americans, but because the president's decision threatens American lives."
• U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., commenting on President Bush's recommendation of Yucca Mountain for storage of nuclear waste.
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"Maybe they're doing it to themselves. I don't know, but if I was trying to generate sympathy and get the Mormons to turn out, that's what I would do. My guess is as good as any, but maybe some of (Tom) Christensen's people figure that's a way to engender sympathy and get the Mormons to turn out for him."
• Reid, speculating on who might have plastered stickers reading "Mormon bigots" on the political signs of GOP candidates Christensen and Garn Mabey.
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"I have no plans to ever explain. I was dealing with some personal things and that's all there was to it."
• U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., after canceling all public events between Feb. 15 and March 4 to deal with an undisclosed family matter.
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"As far as African-Americans are concerned, it's better if he stays. ... If Trent Lott goes away, the issue dies."
• Ensign, in a Dec. 19 radio interview holding firm to his decision to back Lott as Senate majority leader.
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"In my opinion, the right thing for him to do was to resign, and I even told him that. But I didn't like him being forced out."
• Ensign, on Dec. 23, after Lott resigned his leadership job.
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"I've just been re-elected. It's way too early to be jumping to any conclusions about 2004. ... But it (running for Senate) is in the mix."
• Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., commenting after reports put his name out as a potential challenger to Reid in the coming election cycle.
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"I've lost a race. I'm not going to lose another one."
• Republican congressional candidate Jon Porter, who lost to Rep. Shelley Berkley in 2000, speaking at a fund-raising event featuring former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani.
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"I'm not talking to the R-J tonight."
• Democratic congressional candidate Dario Herrera on Election Night after losing by 19 points to Porter in the race for the new 3rd District seat.
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"You do nothing but yell at me and call me a liar."
• Clark County Commissioner Erin Kenny during a televised debate with Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, her opponent in the lieutenant governor's race.
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"Why not me? Why do we not put up a fight?"
• Matthew Dushoff, deputy attorney general, announcing his candidacy for governor in April at the Clark County Democratic Convention. Dushoff never filed.
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"No weapon formed against me shall prosper."
• Las Vegas City Councilwoman Lynette Boggs McDonald, defending the use of tax dollars to promote a food festival in her ward while running for Congress.
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"I send you right back into the fire in the name of Jesus Christ."
• Boggs McDonald, addressing her critics at the same meeting.
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"The good news outweighs the bad."
• Gov. Kenny Guinn, announcing his prostate cancer diagnosis July 1.
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"You don't have the luxury of licking your wounds around here very long. If you do, you're in a world of hurt."
• Rep. Shelley Berkley, on how she quickly moved onto other matters in the House after Nevada lost the Yucca Mountain Project vote 306-117.
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"Honestly, my warm feelings about John Ensign."
• Reid, describing in January 2002 the most significant aspect of his political life the previous year.
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"If Nevada is not willing to do its part in what is part of a national plan for homeland security ... maybe Americans ought to vacation somewhere else."
• John Sununu, lobbyist for the Yucca Mountain Project, talking about state officials' opposition to the federal nuclear waste disposal program.
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"That piece of garbage."
• Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman describing Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham the day Abraham said he intended to recommend Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste site.
