Where I Stand — Mike O’Callaghan: Nevada news, views

Friday, July 14, 2000 | 9:52 a.m.

Mike O'Callaghan is the Las Vegas Sun executive editor.

THE GUT of Kirk Victor's commentary about Sen. Harry Reid in the National Journal is summed up in two of 14 paragraphs:

"Reid, indeed, wins praise from his colleagues for his performance. 'He has this very mild demeanor, but he's tough,' Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., said in an interview. 'He's not somebody who comes strong in your face. He's a very difficult person to say no to.' Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., agreed. 'Even though Harry has not been a committee chairman, he is aware of both the mechanics and sometimes the personal relationships that you have to develop to move anything through,' Leahy said in an interview.

"Even John Czwariacki, the spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., said this of Reid: 'He's proven to be a pretty straight shooter, an able adversary, and an effective leader for his side -- and someone that Sen. Lott has a great deal of respect for and has enjoyed working with.' "

Victor's Congressional Chronicle zeroes in on Reid's role as Senate minority whip. He sees the senior senator from Nevada as easy to underestimate because of his "nonthreatening approach" when dealing with members of both political parties. He calls Reid "soft-spoken, low-key, and self-effacing -- more plain vanilla than the typical member of the world's Greatest Deliberative Body."

The National Journal piece about a leading Nevadan without mentioning gambling, booze, mobsters or some other colorful nonsense is most refreshing.

Why is it that so many writers, including our own, find it necessary to always refer to suspected killer Zane Floyd as a former Marine? Unless he was on active duty when the crime took place, would they continually refer to a suspect as a former airman, sailor or soldier? I doubt it. ... Las Vegas is the home for many of the world's best entertainers. Some of them, for example, Wayne Newton, have been residents for 30 and 40 years. The popular Newton can be called a hometown boy because of his personal interaction with residents and local programs. In Clark County, Robert Goulet isn't as well known, but statewide he has had a positive impact on the Silver State. It was a little more than 25 years ago when Goulet came to the Governor's Mansion with his attorney, state Sen. Coe Swobe, to give Nevada 6.1 acres for the beautiful lookout point on the Mt. Rose h ighway overlooking Lake Tahoe. Carolyn, my wife, cooked an early morning breakfast and we sat down to dine after the signin! g of legal papers. There wasn't any exchange or payment, it was one of Goulet's many gifts to Nevada. His voice and acting ability are among the other gifts we have had the pleasure to experience for so many years. In addition to breakfast, we did give him six frozen wild ducks I brought home from hunting a few weeks earlier. ... The only good thing about Bob Macy of the Associated Press retiring is that he and Melinda will stay in Las Vegas. Both of them have played vital roles in the development of this thriving community. How do I describe this man who did so much great reporting from Nevada during almost two decades? Pleasant and decent are the words that come to mind.

The Colorado proposal to post "In God We Trust" in classrooms should eventually give the U.S. Supreme Court something sinewy to chew on and either swallow or regurgitate. Colorado's Board of Education believes if this motto is good enough for public buildings and on our currency there should be no objections to it being placed in classrooms.

A federal appeals court has already declared Ohio's motto "With God, all things are possible" as being unconstitutional. This motto is taken from the Bible's New Testament and doesn't have the same authorized endorsement from federal sources as does "In God We Trust."

If, eventually, the U.S. Supreme Court does rule against the Colorado proposal, will it also then declare its use on currency and on buildings also unconstitutional? Probably not. The justices will find it much easier to sidestep this direct confrontation with a long accepted American motto.

In the meantime, I'm looking forward to seeing this issue faced by the Supreme Court. You can bet the issue won't be a 9-0 vote no matter what the final decision.

archive