ERIN NEFF: The idiot boss continues to embarrass Nevada - Opinion

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Jun. 15, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

ERIN NEFF: The idiot boss continues to embarrass Nevada

ERIN NEFF
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Text messaging has become a hot topic largely as an example of social phenomena linked to decreasing academic performance.

But who knew Nevada's miserable education system had such an ally in the governor's office?

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The Legislature? Fiscal crises? Green building permits gone awry?

None of that kept Gov. Jim Gibbons AFK. (That's "away from the keyboard" for those of you still struggling to program the old iPhone before the new one hits stores in a few weeks.)

No, Gibbons' entire service in office has been such a joke that it's only appropriate that he'll be remembered 4evr cus of married qt he has told us all was just a 4nd.

IMO, Gibbons has proven he lied about his relationship with a Reno podiatrist's wife thanks to the Reno Gazette-Journal's exposure of manic texts between the gov and his luv.

The sheer magnitude of Gibbons' messaging shows he was nimbly fluent in the type of language that makes most pols his age scratch their heads.

What is plainly clear from his antics and phone text in the wee hours of the night is that during actual gubernatorial duties, his messages probably looked like this: "watching leg -- zzzzzzzzz."

Perhaps he was able to fire off so many because he just wrote 3 over and over. That, in regular speak, is akin to the famous Stevie Wonder song of telephone commercials.

I'd be lq2ms if this whole charade of leadership was just something for People magazine and late night talk show jokes. But I live here.

And despite the fairly short-lived history of texting, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick became the first American pol taken down by short messaging sex. Maybe Gibbons can be No. 2.

The governor has excelled where no former leader has -- in topping his own gaffes with magnificent failure.

Last Tuesday, as the story of the texts first broke, Gibbons was to have chaired a meeting of the Board of Examiners. His staff gave varying accounts of his whereabouts. That happens when there's varying chiefs of staff in a largely otherwise vacant office.

Whether Gibbons was at a family funeral or off in Winnemucca trying to hide from the Reno newspaper, he wasn't at the Capitol.

When the examiners began their meeting, Gibbons came on the line via teleconference and suggested the lieutenant governor could chair the proceedings for him. That might work if the lieutenant governor served on that board. And since Gibbons has chaired the board many times already, you'd think he'd know that. But he told those listening he really couldn't chair the meeting Tuesday because he had no agenda.

Not only does the governor not live in the mansion and not come to work regularly, he can't even get one of his chiefs of staff to fax or e-mail him an agenda when he's on the lam.

One of the more curious moments of the meeting came when Gibbons stated as fact that the state had sent a letter to Steve Fossett's widow informing her that she was expected to pay money to cover the state's expenses searching for her husband.

Later Gibbons' staff clarified that Mrs. Fossett had not, in fact, been sent such a letter.

Which is it, really?

And since we're back on the topic of the Fossett search, it will be interesting to find out if our Top Gun Guv went up in the search planes or choppers. If that's the case, it's little wonder Fossett wasn't found. Gibbons would have had his head glued to his phone.

It's common enough for a teen-ager to fire off a thousand texts in a month, but the married Mormon governor billing in at 860 in one month -- all to the woman with whom he says he has had no romantic relationship -- and on the state cellphone to boot.

Some of us actually thought the disgusting she-said, she-said of the divorce proceedings was going to end when a no-comment truce befell the War of the Gibbonses.

But when someone's sending 91 messages from midnight to 2 a.m., it's clear he wasn't just chatting about his friend's dog or "other life issues."

Some pundits have suggested Gibbons should resign if it's somehow proven he lied about the nature of his relationship with the other woman. What more proof does anyone need?

Gibbons' abrupt end to his text mania probably coincided with someone on his staff reminding the idiot boss that state cell phone records are public.

It's a miracle the actual messages aren't. Even if they were, Gibbons would probably make divulging any of them a homeland security issue.

More than a few Republicans are quietly trying to get the governor to step aside before the 2010 election. You also have to wonder why John McCain is really up on television so early in Nevada.

Nevadans might have done better by electing a Gibbon monkey. Even with opposable thumbs, the ape wouldn't be as embarrassing as the monkey we have in charge.

TTFN, by this time next week who knows what Gibbons will have done.

Contact Erin Neff at (702) 387-2906, or by e-mail at eneff@reviewjournal.com.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. carlos wrote on June 18, 2008 02:35 PM: Miss Neff. You have issues. Go see a psychologist. Being fiscally responsible is the responsible thing to do. You should be in California. Johnathan L. Abbinett wrote on June 16, 2008 11:28 AM: The fundamental problem, as evidenced by many of the comments, is that poorly educated, uninformed, stupid and idiotic people don't get it - they don't realize that they are poorly educated, uninformed, stupid idiots? Americans have been so dumb downed by a failing educational system, generation after generations now, that it's almost impossible to find anyone that can carry on a rational, logical and fact based conversation on any serious topic! Maybe we should start requiring EVERYONE to take the U.S. Citizenship Test before they can graduate from High School - and make it a preliminary test before ANYONE can get a Nevada Driver's License? Of course, it would only be fair to do so with a study guide...but, if we don't start getting candid about how dumb so many Americans actually are in fact we'll never turn the tide around! Dwight Luerssen wrote on June 16, 2008 08:59 AM: Erin's comments are out of line regarding our Nevada governor. I believe he is doing a fine job; holding down the cost of government in a time when liberal spending would bankrupt us if left unchecked. douglas wrote on June 15, 2008 11:52 PM: the huge jumps in gasoline cost to the consumer are exactly due to greater international demand and the continuing "progressive" party's law suits and foot dragging to use "what we got". if you don't have something, then you have to buy it from those who do at what price they want. hapless harry reid and captain nemo kennedy have promised to make the u.s. consumer more dependent on world auction prices. cooler would be if that sap spokesperson for the "progressive" party would honor her promise to "nationalize" the u.s. oil industry. we consumers would be lucky to get off with an immeduate dollar a gallon rise in pump gas prices. likely it'd be a lot more. yet the "progressive" zombies would blame some teachers or municipal workers union which owns 99% of the u.s. oil companies. those oil businesses have such a poor percentage return on equity, there are thousands of better investments. as to being around at various gas prices... usta put sunoco 260 in my new '69 z/28. as i recall it was a tad under 30 cents a gallon. even better was "purple" as i could finagle it from the local general aviation airport. if the "progressives" get control of the gubmit, i hope that our gas prices will rise to no more than that in europe... close to $9 u.s. equivalent/gallon. Bill wrote on June 15, 2008 10:38 PM: Erin, Although his personal life is a wreck right now, he's cutting the NV budget instead of raising my taxes (and yours), so I'm glad he's governor instead of Dina Taxes. He could have taken the easy way out like you libs always do and nail us all with a zillion dollars in taxes. Why aren't you "progressives" rallying around him in his time of need like you did when Slick Willy got caught lying to us about getting a BJ in the oval office? Steve Sanson wrote on June 15, 2008 09:38 PM: Erin this commentary you wrote is disgusting. You have no right printing an article entitled "The idiot boss continues to embarrass Nevada we should have elected a monkey" This man is the leader of our state, I am sure everyone has their personal opinion about our Governor, but the fact remains he was elected by majority of the voters. In some countries you would be imprisoned or dead for making comments like this. If you dont like his policy move out the state or vote him out of office. Steve Sanson President of Veterans In Politics International 0u812 wrote on June 15, 2008 08:18 PM: WTF Neff, You sound like an idiot calling others name in your journalist form. Alex wrote on June 15, 2008 06:09 PM: Where is the name of Harry Reid mentioned in Erin's column? OMG, PLEASE keep on topic! If you want to bash Harry Reid do it on the E-Forums. I don't care if Gibbons is a Republican, Democrat or some alien from outer space. He is a lousy ineffectual Governor, PERIOD! For those of you that think it is so easy to run for any office in Nevada, I suggest you call the State. You will find out as I did, they CHARGE you to put your name on the ballot. Yep! YOU pay to put your name on any ballot! Gibbons decided to start divorce proceeding while in office, while seen shopping, attending her children's functions with another woman in public. Where was her husband at that time? Gibbons Gotta go! Johnathan L. Abbinett wrote on June 15, 2008 03:17 PM: Erin, another good coumn, I'm ROTFLMAO (Rolling On The Floor Laughing My A** Off)! There remains no doubt in my mind that, from Bush to Cheney, to McCain, Ensign, Gibbons, Heller and Porter - they're all just "cut-out" frontmen representing their wealthy donors (who wield their power from the shadows of anonymity)! Gibbons doesn't even know that it is the Chair of a Committee that is responsible for developing the Agenda? Gibbons is grossly incompetent and an embarassement to all Nevadans and, I'm sad to say, our veterans! But, that's not news, as he voted time and time again against our disabled vets! It's soooo sad I've just got to sit back and laugh to the point of tears! Cookie wrote on June 15, 2008 02:54 PM: Brue - It's never too late to improve on that 6th grade education dude. I hate to think of you even trying to vote. Read All Comments