Democrats’ cheerleader Carville spins way to UNLV

Scott Reeder

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 1998 | 11:16 a.m.

It wasn't your typical college lecture.

In fact, it sounded more like a political stump speech.

But James Carville, President Clinton's political strategist for the 1992 campaign, received a rousing welcome from students at UNLV during a brief speech here Tuesday.

"Why vote for an Ensign, when you have an admiral -- Harry Reid?" Carville asked the auditorium full of college students.

The Louisiana native sprinkled his speech with plenty of wisecracks and barbs aimed at the Republicans.

Noting Democrat Jan Laverty Jones' seven-year tenure as Las Vegas mayor and Republican Kenny Guinn's 10-year term as chairman of Southwest Gas, Carville said Nevadans have a clear choice for governor: a candidate full of experience or one full of gas.

But John Mason, chairman of the Nevada Republican Party, said Carville isn't to be taken seriously.

"He's from the South. He likes to play up his goofy humor. I don't think that plays well here in the West. People are tired of it," he said. "He runs around and makes these ridiculous statements and then he gets paid to speak to people. ... The kind of things he says are much like what you'd expect from Jerry Springer."

Carville was not paid by UNLV for the lecture, Tom Flagg, a university spokesman said.

Carville called for the students to actively campaign for the Democratic slate.

"These people in Washington, these commentators, these pundits, all say the same thing. They say the Pat Robertson crowd, the Jerry Falwell crowd, the Jesse Helms crowd are all energized and they are going to come out and they are going to vote.

"They say it's going to be a high turnout by the extreme right and all of the other people who care about education, health care, care about nuclear waste, are dispirited and demoralized."

But Carville said the students should work against this happening.

"I thought it was an excellent speech. It was more political than I thought it would be. But I'm really glad I got to hear it," said Stephanie Branson, an education student.

But Chuck Muth, chairman of the Nevada Republican Liberty Caucus, said Carville lacks credibility.

"He gives rabid dogs a bad name. People understand that about Carville. If any other Democrat came in and said those things, it would probably have some meaning. Carville is Clinton's chief apologist. There is nothing he can do wrong that Carville isn't going to find a way to spin."