If she acts like Oscar and sounds like Oscar …
Who would ever have thought the toughest question posed to Carolyn Goodman would be: How are you different from your husband?
It seems fairly easy to answer, but from the start of her mayoral campaign in February, she's had trouble answering it.
Apparently she didn't want to seem like Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman's puppet queen, so her early answers focused on differences in style. It took her a month to come up with one specific policy difference.
She certainly hasn't disavowed hubby's suggestion that a red light district of legal brothels on East Fremont street could be "a redevelopment tool." As recently as February, the mayor defended legalized prostitution, opposing U.S. Sen. Harry Reid's going-nowhere proposal to ban prostitution statewide, instead of just in Clark and Washoe counties.
She's never once cited his prostitution stance as an area where they differ.
On "Face to Face with Jon Ralston," she was asked directly on Feb. 3: "Is there anything he's done you've disagreed with as mayor?"
Although words emerged, she never answered the question.
The persistent interviewer on KNPR's "State of Nevada" asked the question three times on Feb. 4.
"How are you different?" She responded with a joke.
"But politically what's going to be different?" She retreated to her comfort zone, the founding of the Meadows School.
"Is anything going to be different?" She talked about city development.
Goodman has mastered the art of changing the subject.
It took a month before she refined her answer.
"In his delivery we are very different. In the core, we are identical," she told the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Alan Choate.
On Sunday on 8NewsNow, Jonathan Humbert asked: "How are you going to be different than Oscar?"
"I think our core values are identical, but we're very different people." She talked about his flamboyance and yes, the Meadows School. She has been involved in education for 27 years, he has not.
The valiant Humbert tried again. "Is there a policy difference?"
Finally, Carolyn Goodman came up with one vote. "I disagreed with him on the closing of F Street."
Then on 8NewsNow, in a discussion of balancing family friendly Las Vegas with adult entertainment, mayoral campaign rival and Clark County Commissioner Larry Brown made his move.
"You need to certainly eliminate any discussion of legalized prostitution, and I hope all panelists agree," he said.
Three other panelists immediately and unequivocally repudiated legalizing prostitution in Las Vegas, except a clearly annoyed Carolyn Goodman. "I know it's a fact it's illegal, it's a nonissue, so that we're discussing it is ridiculous." She said Nevada needs to look at issues like teen prostitution, human trafficking and health issues. "I don't recall saying anything that was different than that."
Actually, she did.
When Ralston had asked whether a red light district was a good idea, she responded: "There's pros and cons to everything. I'm a big one about getting all the research done, get the input" before championing something.
A KNPR caller had asked whether she would really consider a red light district.
"I know my husband brought it up. There's a lot of negatives, but it might be a wise thing. It's too premature for me to endorse it," she said. "This is a private issue for everybody in this community. There are certain parts that are repugnant to me."
Can you tell whether she's open to legalizing prostitution in Clark County? I can't.
If Carolyn Goodman were honest, she would say, "Vote for me, and you'll get more of the same. Plus you'll get Oscar. We're a two-for-one special."
Do you want more of the same from 12 years of Oscar Goodman? If so, she's your candidate. If not, there are certainly viable alternatives to the Goodman dynasty.
Jane Ann Morrison's column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0275. She also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/morrison.