Flashpoint for Nov. 16, 2005

Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2005 | 7:38 a.m.

So how do you talk to a gubernatorial candidate but pretend he's not a gubernatorial candidate? That was the "Face to Face" conundrum as I interviewed Rep. Jim Gibbons on Capitol Hill because it is a violation of House rules for members to be talking about their campaigns for higher office in the taxpayer-funded studio. So how to get around it? Suddenly Jim Gibson's criticisms of Medicare reform were coming from the Henderson mayor, not a gubernatorial opponent. And try talking about the taxpayer bill of rights initiative without that context. In print journalism, sometimes we write "around" things. This was the first time I interviewed on TV around something. And I still couldn't get him to take a stand on the tax and spend initiative!

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