Governor Gibberish

Sunday, July 5, 2009 | 2:07 a.m.

Jim Gibbons has failed to exercise any real leadership during his tenure as governor. For example, he was largely ignored by the Legislature this year after he refused to work with lawmakers to find solutions to the state’s problems.

Haunted by dismal approval ratings, the governor has been issuing news releases in an effort to rehabilitate his image, but they have only underscored his incompetence.

For example, he sent out a release June 26 announcing he had ordered the “immediate study of high gas prices” by his energy adviser. Citing the potential effect on tourism and Nevada residents, he said he wanted “real facts to see if there is anything we can do about this problem.”

He needs “real facts?” Gibbons should understand the issue — it regularly comes before Congress, where he served for a decade. Having served as governor for 2 1/2 years, he should know what power he has to affect gas prices. (Answer: None.)

Moreover, if he is so concerned about the issue, why didn’t he address it a year ago, when the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was more than $4, about $1.50 higher than it is today?

In another laughable release, Gibbons compared himself with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., on renewable energy, saying he was “solely focused on Nevada,” implying that Reid was not.

What reality is Gibbons living in? Reid has consistently been a champion of renewable energy in Nevada. He successfully opposed plans to build new coal-fired power plants in Nevada — plans that Gibbons supported.

These news releases are indicative of Gibbons’ time in office. He refuses to engage problems, offering empty rhetoric and disingenuous statements to try to make himself look good. This is why he has terrible approval ratings and challengers lining up to run against him in next year’s Republican primary.

This is not the type of leadership Nevadans want. The only one who doesn’t seem to understand that is the governor.