Las Vegas NowLas Vegas Mayor Makes Controversial Gin Comment

Las Vegas Mayor Makes Controversial Gin Comment

Click here to contact Reporter Janine Gill.

Parents who have children in one elementary school may be surprised to find out what the Mayor of Las Vegas said to the group of kids. To some, it sounded like he endorsed drinking alcohol.

Mayor Oscar Goodman has never made it a secret that he loves drinking gin. Bombay Sapphire even hired Goodman as their pitchman. But the outspoken mayor shocked a roomful of adults when he shared his love of gin with children.

After reading to the class, one student asked Mayor Goodman if he could take one thing with him on a deserted island, what would it be. The Mayor replied that it would be a bottle of gin. And when a student later asked Mayor Goodman what one of his hobbies was, the Mayor said "drinking."

Mayor Goodman was invited to read at Mackey Elementary School as part of Nevada Reading Week. Around eighty-five 4th grade students were in the room when Goodman made the comment about drinking.

Parents are just finding out about it and some are upset. "That's a wrong message to send to kids that if you were on a deserted island, 'I'm going to bring a bottle of gin.' That's something that you can't say to a child because now if they look up to the Mayor or have aspirations to be a mayor, or whatever the case may be, they'll remember the Mayor wanted to have a drink," one parent commented.

The Mayor did not want to comment to Eyewitness News about the matter, but in an earlier interview with the Las Vegas Sun, he was unapologetic and said, "I'm the George Washington of mayors. I can't tell a lie. If they didn't want the answer, the kid shouldn't have asked the question. It's me, what can it do?"

Eyewitness News political analyst, Jon Ralston asked State Senator Barbara Cegavaske what she thought of the Mayor's comments on his show, Face to Face With Jon Ralston.

Barbara Cegavaske, State Senator (R-LV), said, "I know Oscar, and I think he's making it in gest. But to an adult audience, it would have been more appropriate and to the youth it's probably not so appropriate."

The principal of the school admits she was surprised, but says she can't control what the Mayor says.

The Las Vegas Sun's article "Las Vegas Mayor Endorses Gin to Fourth Graders" made national headlines earlier Wednesday. (Heavy Internet traffic to the Las Vegas Sun website may be experienced).

Mayor Goodman said he will answer questions about his comment Thursday at his weekly press conference.