Nevada gov says Bush backing no problem despite Yucca Mt. issue

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- Gov. Kenny Guinn repeated Wednesday that he has no problem being part of the team that will try to deliver Nevada's five electoral votes to President Bush next year -- despite Bush's approval of the Yucca Mountain nuclear dump.

The Republican governor, on KRNV-TV's "Nevada Newsmakers" show in Reno, said he tried to block the high-level waste dump, but could still "very easily" be part of the Bush re-election team in this state.

"I'm looking at the holistic body of an individual and so that's the reason," said Guinn, an honorary co-chairman of the Bush re-election effort in Nevada, along with U.S. Sen. John Ensign and Reps. Jim Gibbons and Jon Porter. State Attorney General Brian Sandoval is chairman of the team.

Nevada went to Bush in 2000, following a campaign promise by Bush to ensure "sound science" prevailed in any decision he made on a nuclear dump at Yucca Mountain.

After his election, Bush approved the Yucca Mountain project, prompting Democrats to criticize him for breaking his promises regarding the project.

Guinn also defended his "irrelevant" description of people who are opposed to higher taxes even if the need for new levies is clear, and said it was taken out of context to suggest he was talking about some anti-tax legislators.

Guinn insisted that inference was wrong, adding, "But, look, I'm not a crybaby. I just live with it."