Democrats’ TV ad capitalizes on allegations against Gibbons

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2006 | 7:20 a.m.

In a tough new television advertisement, the Nevada Democratic Party seeks to capitalize on the controversy over Rep. Jim Gibbons' alleged assault of a woman by saying that "Nevada is waiting for answers" to "lingering questions" about the incident.

With images of martini glasses and a dimly lit parking garage, the ad, which began airing on Southern Nevada TV stations Tuesday, recounts Las Vegas cocktail waitress Chrissy Mazzeo's allegation that the Republican gubernatorial candidate tried to force himself on her sexually in a parking garage after an evening of drinking on Oct. 13 at McCormick & Schmick's restaurant.

"The powerful are used to taking what they want and in the world of Washington they can usually get away with it," an announcer says in the ad. "But coverups don't go down well in Nevada."

The ad then focuses on questions that the commercial says Gibbons won't answer about "allegations he assaulted a woman half his age," using newspaper headlines flashed on the screen to underline key points.

"Why are there inconsistencies in his story to the police? Why did his campaign misrepresent the facts? Why would a congressman and candidate for governor walk an intoxicated woman to her car? Or was there a different motive? Nevada is waiting for answers."

Gibbons' campaign spokesman, Robert Uithoven, did not return a phone call Tuesday.

Nevada Republican Party officials also declined to comment.

Gibbons has denied the accusations, telling police that he simply caught Mazzeo when she slipped while he was trying to help her find her vehicle.

Kirsten Searer, spokeswoman for the state Democratic Party, said it made a "substantial" TV buy, but would not specify the amount spent.

Veteran political consultant Dan Hart, who is running the Democratic Party's independent expenditure effort on behalf of the entire Democratic ticket in the Nov. 7 election, said he hopes the ad sways undecided voters by raising questions about Gibbons' "character and judgment."

"You can dispute whatever, but the question still arises: Why was he there having drinks with this 32-year-old woman who was not his wife?" Hart said.

The TV ad is running only in Southern Nevada, where - in part because of the saturation news coverage devoted to the incident - it is more likely to appeal to the base of Gibbons' Democratic opponent, state Sen. Dina Titus.

"It can help with the undecideds," said UNLV political scientist David Damore, a Democrat. "The last couple of weeks is when those people start to pay attention, so it could sway some votes."

But Eric Herzik, a UNR political scientist and a Republican, said he believes the ad is unlikely to have a significant impact on the governor's race, although it might help motivate Clark County Democrats to go to the polls.

The ad could even pose a risk for Democrats, he said, which is why Titus herself is not sponsoring the commercial.

"This situation is so fluid," Herzik said. "If the tapes come out and it shows her walking to her car completely unaccosted, the Republicans are just going to go ballistic."