Gibbons' brush with historiography

Mining industry spokesman Jim Gibbons, who also serves as husband of first lady Dawn Gibbons, was sworn in as governor again Tuesday, for about the 13th time since New Year's Eve. Behold the inspirational verbal plumage:

In order to achieve real results for all Nevadans, I know I must reach across the aisle, and understand that the shared patriotism I have with each person here today does not create barriers but builds bridges.

Most high-falutin'. Wonder what the hell it means. Oh well, here's some more.

In order to reclaim the American Dream for all Nevadans, to truly have One Nevada - we must not only build these bridges - we must cross them together.

This bidness about needing to "reclaim" the American Dream is grounds for genuine concern, because when representatives of the mining industry, like Gibbons, talk about reclamation, they're usually arguing in favor of doing a half-assed job of it on the cheap. Besides, from the non-existent agenda Gibbons has offered on his path to the governorship, surely there can't be too much that's wrong with the American Dream to begin with, and most definitely nothing that can't be fixed with a tax cut and a "support our troops" auto magnet. Anyway, more Giblet:

"We must not allow the interest of one part of the State to override the concerns of another. Some would call that politics. I would call it turning our backs on the lessons of history, for any great society that pits one group against another is bound to fail."

First, that's a great idea to not allow one part of the state to run roughshod over the other, but who's going to tell Raggio? Second, history is full of examples wherein one group has pitted itself against another in the name of social or economic justice. Which just goes to show that the "lessons of history," inasmuch as such animals exist, are multiple, complex and, inevitably, contradictory. The notion that Jim Gibbons has sufficiently cleared epistemological hurdles and arrived at a constructive set of opinions regarding the "lessons of history" grounded in thoughtful and rigorous analysis seems, well, unlikely. That he might rely on those opinions as a basis for governing would provide yet another reason why so many people find his elevation to the governorship so unnerving.

Fortunately, none of it matters, because Gibbons' little inaugural remarks are arguably as devoid of substance as any collection of words ever spewed from a politician's mouth. Seriously, check it out -- apart from correctly identifying some of those in attendance, thanking the troops and observing that Jerry Ford is still dead, we double-dog dare you to find a meaningful, nay, a coherent, thought in Gibbons' speech.

With a little luck, the novelty of Gibbons as governor will be replaced, sooner rather than later, by the irrelevance of Gibbons as governor, and the comprehensive pointlessness of the Gibbons administration will be fully and plainly borne out so that everybody can go back to treating him exactly as they did while he was in Congress, i.e, ignoring him.

Comments

[IronJawed]

Great post Gleaner - a wonderful read

[CapitalD]

This "Inaugural Address" weighs in at 812 words. Does that qualify as an address? I would suggest that perhaps it should simply be termed an "Inaugural Thought" if I trusted the ability of Gleanereaders to detect irony. The second Reagan inaugural address that Gibbons ritualistically invoked weighed in at 2400 words, to give you a sense of perspective...

[Johnathan L. Abbinett]

Hugh, I can tell you're well rested - really nice piece of writing!

One of your best yet - and, it seems, someone is doing a better job of writing for Gibbons as well!

Too bad Gibbons words are void of any geniune sense of sincerity!

[BMT]

No doubt, there have been some bad governors in Nevada's 150-plus history. Bob List comes to mind.

However, as of this week, I think we are now going to suffer through perhaps the worst ever.

How can Gibbons NOT embarrass, not only his state, but the very interests he will represent, such as mining, gaming, Nevada Power (fill in the rest, please, R&R Partners...)?

He can't be relied by his patrons like Sig Rogich to talk for himself. Gibbons has TERMINAL foot-in-mouth disease. This guy is going to be puppetized in office more than George H.W. Bush ever was.

The fun will be watching whom and what will be pulling the strings from above.

But, hey, good God, Nevada DESERVES such a dumb-assed chief of state, beholden to the moneied interests, and voted in by people who vote against their economic interests (Washoe, Elko, other rurals, et al).

BUT -- to end all the buts -- this will be an absolutely joyful four years for journalists and blog posters!! A textbook idiot in the governor's seat!! This guy is going to be dodging live news conferences like the plague!

[IBlogOnMyspace]

I do believe that Governor Gibbons has given the State of Nevada something it's been in long need of...

http://gov.state.nv.us/

An ugly website! YAY. Look at those drop shadows!

[nonsense]

I think 'turning our backs on the lessons of history' will be an ongoing theme of the Gibbons years. First, let's turn our backs on any misdeeds of the election. Actually, we need to turn them from any lessons we learned about our Governor from his years in Washington. Well, maybe we need to forget even a few lessons from before that. Anyway, by the next election go around I'm sure we'll have a whole new list of lessons we need to turn our backs on.

Seriously, the secretaries in my office were having fun this morning pointing out all of the grammatical mistakes in the innauguration speech. Maybe I should be glad they don't read my Gleaner posts.

[Nevada Scandalmonger]

I kid you not--the valedictorian at my High School graduation a couple of millenia ago used that "build bridges" speech.

[Johnathan L. Abbinett]

I thought it sounded way too familier also "Nevada Scandalmonger" - but, I don't have the time to research, yet another, Gibbons act of plagerism!

[The Penguin]

That was the cotton candy of inaugural speeches.