No clear winner in televised debate

A wide-open, sometimes unmanageable format made it difficult to determine a winner in Monday night's televised debate in the mayor's race.

But the three front-runners -- City Councilman Arnie Adamsen, defense attorney Oscar Goodman and businessman Mark Fine -- all got a chance to shine during the two-hour forum carried live on Las Vegas 1. Eight of the nine candidates participated.

Of the three leaders, Fine may have been helped the most by his performance. Heading into the debate, Fine was trailing Adamsen and Goodman in the polls in the primary to narrow the field to two for the June general election.

Fine presented himself as an alternative to Adamsen, an 11-year City Council member who advocates maintaining the status quo, and Goodman a populist candidate threatening to shake things up at City Hall.

Fine, who played a role in developing the successful master-planned communities of Summerlin and Green Valley, said he's the candidate who best understands the needs of Las Vegas neighborhoods. However, his ties to developers forced him into a defensive mode several times during the debate.

As the forum, which appeared amateurish at times, neared its end, Fine seemed to treat Goodman as the front-runner. He asked Goodman how he could have any insight into the mayor's job after waking up one morning and deciding to enter politics following a lifetime of representing notorious criminals.

Goodman, who has vowed to make developers pay their fair share toward funding growth, responded by saying the time was right in his life and that he has a strong desire to become an advocate for the citizens of Las Vegas.

"I believe in this community," Goodman said. "I love this community."

Goodman also took some heat from the audience from former newsman Al Tobin, who asked the famed mob lawyer how many City Council meetings he had attended since coming to Las Vegas 35 years ago.

As Tobin, well-versed on Goodman's base of mob clients, turned his back and walked to his seat, a taken-aback Goodman shouted, "Why don't you look at me when I'm talking to you."

Goodman then answered he had attended three, maybe four meetings. But he went on to describe City Council gatherings over the years as "for the birds" and said if he becomes mayor the meetings will be "meaningful," not "nonsensical."

Adamsen, despite his years on the City Council, did not come off as polished a speaker as Goodman and Fine.

But he clearly demonstrated that he has more knowledge about government than any of the nine candidates in the race.

His best moment came when he was asked to defend the city's often-criticized redevelopment policies.

A well-prepared Adamsen, whose campaign is being aided by the city's biggest political strategists, rattled off a series of statistics that showed the city is making headway in its efforts to breathe life into an economically declining downtown.

In his closing remarks, Adamsen drove home his best attribute.

"Ladies and gentleman," he said. "I've got something that money can't buy -- experience. The right kind of experience."

The debate gave a rare opportunity for the lesser known candidates to get needed exposure.

The frustration among those candidates was demonstrated by radio talk show host Frank LaSpina, who spent all of his time ripping into his media colleagues for pumping up the top three candidates.

None of the questions from the audience, however, was directed at LaSpina, who when given a chance to speak toward the end, called the debate "shameless" and said the race has been the "single worst event" of his life.

The debate, sponsored by the Charleston Neighborhood Preservation organization, ran into numerous glitches, all captured on television.

Most of the other candidates, however, said they were thrilled to have an opportunity for the air time.

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