Vegas mayor defiant about telling students of his love for gin

[NVMojo]

This is for reals, folks.

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Sin City's flamboyant mayor was defiant and unapologetic Thursday regarding what he called "a maelstrom" of criticism for extolling gin to a class of fourth-graders.

Mayor Oscar Goodman said he was just being himself when he told elementary school students that drinking was one of his hobbies and that the one thing he would want if stranded on an island is a bottle of gin.

"I answered the question honestly and truthfully," Goodman told reporters during his weekly news conference. "I'm not going to lie to children. I'm not going to say I would take a teddy bear or a Bible or something like that, when that is not my first thought."

Asked by a reporter if he had a drinking problem, Goodman answered, "Oh, absolutely not. I love to drink."

more...

http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/nevada/2005/mar/03/030310250.html

[Bozita]

1. "You can't handle the truth!" --- Fits, doesn't it?

Children should never hear the truth ... unless it's about bj's in the White House.

[Jamastiene]

15. And don't forget to

make sure it is in lurid detail with pictures of a cummy (hell, if the idiot boy king can make up words, why shouldn't we?) dress and a million page docier in hardback for future reference as well. That bunch gripes my ass. Clinton lied about a bj. Bush lied about major weapons of mass destraction and a million other serious things. Why isn't Bush getting impeached right now?

[Jamastiene]

2. Bravo

Dude, you tell 'em. You don't have a problem with drinking. You drink, you fall down, you get back up, you drink drink drink drink some more, then you hold on to the earth for fear you will fall off of it if you let go of whatever vines or roots you have grabbed onto. As soon as that phase passes, drink some more. Whass da problem?


No sarcasm here. I really don't see what the big deal is about it. In other countries, kids can drink wine at dinner. We have serious over drinking and other drinking related fatalities here moreso because of the taboo associated with it. Any shrink can tell you, reverse psychology on children makes them long to do something they would normally not care about doing. Oh, the idiocy.

BTW, is there a forum where I can go post about my new cold. It came on today and by tonight, now, it's killing me. I'm getting all whiney and whimpery now. I need a drink. Theraflu and vodka, will that be a bad idea? I'm pretty tolerant to all sorts of drug/alcohol and drug/drug cocktails.

On edit: I forgot to mention that a couple of hours ago I took a Xanax and 2 Eckerd Brand pain relief PM pills before I realized I was going to get this bad off with this hideous crap. I hope whoever gave me this crap in real life is happy with themselves.

[baby_bear]

3. Jack Daniels, boiling water, lemon juice

Add honey if you must, but I don't like it.

Maker's Mark will also do; also Wild Turkey.

Make it in a big big mug and get your nose right over
the steam until it is a temp where you can drink it.

oh yes. You will feel much much better, my friend.

b_b

[shanti]

16. you have my sympathy!

this crud ran the gamut in our household all last week. i had laryngitis for 5 days! this is a terrible flu/cold season, cause it's rare for me to be sick.

[Jamastiene]

18. It is for me too

I'm a wuss when I do though. I whimper and whine worse than you can possibly imagine. No one will want to be around me while I have this vile nasty wretched wicked bug. I haven't been sick in years so I am really having a hard time functioning.

Thanks for the sympathy. :)

[Bridget Burke]

23. Mimosas work for me.

(Although it may be a "chick" thing.)

Orange juice, loaded with vitamin C. And the bubbles seem to sooth a ticklish throat.

[KDLarsen]

26. My sympathies to you!

.. personally, I think I'm immune or something. Currently, the temperature outside is -10 degrees Celsius (14F I think), and I run around in a t-shirt & a jacket and feel fine.

[PurityOfEssence]

4. NEVER forget how many Mormons there are in Vegas

I've only been there four times, but all for business and for some extended tours. The Mormon population of that sin-sucking burg is quite surprising.

Besides all that, yakking with anyone under 21 about the pleasures of John Barleycorn is just stupid, dangerous and sloppy beyond belief.

Yaaaar.

[NVMojo]

7. aha! someone who gets the humor here! Mormons dominate

the casino financial departments in Vegas. They are allowed to leave their little suburbs in Vegas and go down to the strip and count the casino masters beans everyday cuz they be trustworthy.

I remember the first time I went to the strip where the Luxor and Excaliber are located. I thought I was really in Toon Town and my sister said, "whoa, this is surreal!!!"

[tuvor]

5. If this is typical of the Vegas mayor, maybe they should instead be angry

with whomever asked him to participate in question-and-answer with the students.

I mean, this is the mayor of LAS VEGAS, for crying out loud, not Lynchburg, Virginia.

[foo_bar]

8. as in Lynchburg Lemonade?

[tuvor]

9. I dunno. Lynchburg, VA is jerry falwell's homebase.

I don't know anything about this lemonade you speak of.

[foo_bar]

10. one part Jack Daniel's®, four parts Sprite®

I guess there's another Lynchburg:
http://www.cocktailtimes.com/distillery/jack.shtml

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Bet this guy checks into Betty Ford within a month

That kind of talk is irrational and totally inappropriate. I would guess that he has a serious problem.

[Jim Lane]

11. No, that's just Oscar being Oscar

A politician who actually had an alcoholism problem would be careful not to say such a thing in public, especially to kids.

Oscar Goodman's problem isn't that he's an alcoholic -- it's that he really relishes his image as a maverick, an elected official who's not a conventional politician. As a result, he's tempted to go overboard in being outrageous, just to get his name in the paper.

At one point he was receiving a fee from one of the gin companies to endorse their product. If you want to slam him over this comment, you could charge conflict of interest, although I don't think an offhand comment like this one implicates his mayoral duties.

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. That is all very strange. Definitely goes against all conventional wisdom

of "setting the example." My take on Las Vegas was that it is actually a rather conservative middle of the road place, populated by down to earth hard working people and retirees. The Mayor sounds kind of reckless and devil-may-care.

[shanti]

17. but vegas IS

reckless and devil-may-care...right?

[meganmonkey]

29. Goodman is a real piece of work

I went to college with one of his sons, and I heard stories that Oscar was a mafia lawyer but I was never sure if it was just rumor...although his kid did have a pirated copy of Pulp Fiction before it even came out in theaters ;)

A few months ago I found out he was mayor and that his son had been in some trouble and so I did a little research and learned that hese folks are shady as all get out!

http://www.americanmafia.com/Inside_Vegas/9-13-04_Inside_Vegas.html

Don't know how reliable this source is but I found it fascinating!

[DulceDecorum]

12. What happens in Vegas, is supposed to

stay in Vegas.
How come the whole country knows all about this now?

[NVMojo]

13. LOL!!!

[regnaD kciN]

19. I'll drink to that!

Let's hear it for honest answers! :toast:

(Although, if it were my choice, I would have opted for Chinaco...)

After all, as they sing in the old hymn:

Let there be gin on earth, and let it be giv'n to me.
Let there be wine on earth: Port, Chardonnay, or Chablis.
If I had my druthers, potted I would be.
Let us drink with our brothers, and sing with joy (off key)...

Let there be ale on earth, please, serve it up in a scow.
With every sip I take, let this be my solemn vow:
To live each moment, and spend each moment, as drunk as I can be.
Let there be booze on earth, and let it be giv'n (HIC) to me!!!!

(C) 2005 J.D. Walley. All rights reserved.

:evilgrin:

[Downtown Hound]

20. Sorry, but I got a big problem with this

GIN SUCKS!

Oh, if you mix it with tonic water it's not so bad, but straight? Nasty. Now if he had spoken of the virtues of Jack Daniels or the cannabis plant, then I wouldn't have a problem. But Gin? He's clearly a bad role model for our children.

[Charon]

25. Gin

I like the good stuff. Gin and Tonic is a great summer cooler.

[Stuckinthebush]

28. Tastes like a pine tree

I think this guy should be run out of town. Gin! Come on! Whiskey or Scotch maybe, but not gin.

[REP]

21. Best. Headline. Ever.

[truthisfreedom]

22. any press is good press...

and if you believe that, then he's doing a good job for Las Vegas.

[Bridget Burke]

24. Actually, my desert island choice would be rum.

(Preferably with a rum-loving pirate to help pass the time.)

Desert islands tend to lack ice machines, so the martinis would suffer...

[MARALE]

27. Ummm.. Johnny Depp

and Captian Morgan. What a great combo! :9