Why wouldn't Nevada Republicans welcome news coverage of their top candidates running for governor and Congress?

Different versions exist as to why last weekend's state central committee meeting in Sparks shut out the news media. One version: State Party Chairwoman Earlene Forsythe said she closed it to the media at the request of the gubernatorial candidates.

But the candidates I spoke to Tuesday said that wasn't true. They would have loved to have seen the media there. Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, Las Vegas state Sen. Bob Beers, and a spokesman for the leader of the pack, Rep. Jim Gibbons, all said they didn't ask the media be banned.

"Not this candidate," Hunt said. "I wish you had all been there. There was a good dialogue."

"Must have been another gubernatorial candidate," Beers said.

The "candidates insisted" version came from Clark County Republican Party Chairman John Hambrick, who said that's what he heard Forsythe say in a phone conversation with other Republican chairmen.

Forsythe said that was wrong. "I wouldn't allow it. It's an internal state party meeting with lots of things to discuss," she said, adding state central committee meetings always have been closed since she became chairwoman 19 months ago. (Only when there was a newsworthy event to cover, did anybody notice.)

With three Republicans vying for the governor's job and three for the 2nd Congressional District, these speeches matter because the people who attend such meetings are the passionate activists most likely to work for candidates they like. The warmth with which they receive each speech is a political indicator.

This meeting also included the election of a new chairman, which routinely is opened to the media.

Las Vegan Paul Adams, who ran without opposition after Forsythe decided not to run, was elected by acclamation. (Sorry, can't tell you whether he gave a good acceptance speech.)

Hambrick, who isn't known for making up whoppers, gracefully said perhaps he hadn't heard Forsythe correctly on the conference call when she said she was closing the meeting. "I thought I heard that she said the candidates insisted," he said.

Hambrick said the county central committee meetings will continue to be open, with the exception of personnel matters. "The sad part is that it was a milquetoast evening," he said.

Adams said meetings under his leadership would be open, with limited exceptions. "I would tend to want to be open." Was anything at the meeting actually sensitive? "No," Adams said. "After the dinner, I made the comment I wish the press had seen the whole thing. The speeches were good. Each candidate gave their vision and said they'd support the primary winner."

Of course, Forsythe's e-mail to the candidates had been very specific with eight "rules governing the speakers" to squelch controversy. Rule 3: No public debates between candidates. Rule 4: No questions from the floor. Rule 6: Topic for speech: "Why I am running for this position and the issues I am running on."

She even banned candidates' political signs!

Since no media was there, here's the analysis from one anonymous Republican who was: Among the gubernatorial candidates, Beers was the best received both because he was funny and sharp and spoke extemporaneously, and because the Clark County delegation liked his idea of breaking up the Clark County School District. Gibbons' speech was mechanical. "Of the three, Lorraine Hunt's was the lightest, it was foo foo, it didn't touch on issues." (Hey, this isn't my analysis. It came from someone who was there.)

Among the candidates for the congressional seat, the GOP source said Republicans seemed to respond best to Secretary of State Dean Heller, then to Reno Assemblywoman Sharron Angle and third to former Reno Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons, the congressman's wife.

New Review-Journal polls showed Jim Gibbons and Heller the leaders in their respective races among Republicans, while the state central committee members appeared to favor Beers and Heller. That's worth watching.

Why wouldn't Forsythe want the news media to see Republican candidates on the platform together? Democrats have no such reservations. They fight ferociously and publicly in front of the news media.

If closing the meeting was an attempt at controlling news coverage, this column alone is evidence that ploy doesn't work.

Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0275.