The Hickey Hiccup turns into a Burp

If Assembly Republican Minority Leader Pat Hickey (Reno-RINO) really thought his “proven and experienced voice” comment about minorities not voting in 2014 being great for Republicans was going to die down, he got a cold splash of reality Thursday morning when Gov. Brian Sandoval threw him under the bus with this prepared statement…

“I disagree with the minority leader’s statements. We must earn the trust and confidence of all Nevadans and seek their support on Election Day. Pat’s comments do not reflect my views and he should reconsider them.”

For the milk-toast governor, this is about as strong a condemnation as you’re ever gonna get!

Shortly thereafter, Senate Minority Leader Moderate Mike Roberson rochambeaued his GOP colleague, saying in a statement…

“I am deeply disappointed in Pat Hickey’s recent comments as they pertain to the youth and minority vote in Nevada. His comments are not reflective of my views and I have shared my concerns privately with Pat.”

But Sandoval and Roberson were pikers compared to this missile Nevada U.S. Sen. Dean Heller shot up Hickey’s wazoo…

“Recent comments from Assemblyman Hickey are divisive, insensitive, and run counter to the basic duties and honor of public service. Assemblyman Hickey should know that it is a privilege to represent Nevada’s many cultures and ethnicities. And furthermore, it is his responsibility, as it is all elected officials, to welcome any Nevadan into the political process, regardless of political affiliation, background, or any other characteristic.”

OUCH!

And you can bet these aren’t the last Republicans to weigh in and distance themselves from the Gumby Republican with the “yellow wife” and “olive-skinned kids” (his words, not mine).

For his part, Hickey has fallen back on the old “everybody else does it” defense, telling Reno Gazette-Journal reporter Ray Hagar…

“There isn’t a politician in leadership in either party who doesn’t occasionally make a gaffe and have to explain what they meant to say. In that moment, apparently, I suffered from some foot-in-mouth disease that seems to infect politicians occasionally.”

This all is starting to remind me of Mitt Romney’s totally ineffective effort to explain away his “47 percent” comment. And the more Hickey tries to explain what he meant, the worse it gets.

Meanwhile, Democrats are having a field day with Hickey’s comments, claiming the political cipher was trying to “suppress” the minority vote…which is giving Hickey WAY too much credit. He’s nowhere near savvy enough to even consider such a thing!

Also, liberal gabber Rachel MadCow is all over Hickey’s Hiccup today (click here), as was the liberal Huffington Post yesterday (click here). They smell blood. They won’t let this go. And it’s hurting all Republicans – not just here in Nevada, but nationally.

Since Hickey already had his chance on TV Wednesday night to dig himself out of the macaca pit of his own making – and instead made the bad situation worse – he really needs to just step down from his leadership post and stop embarrassing the entire GOP.

Three-term Assemblyman John Hambrick – who recently took one for the GOP team by deciding not to engage in a divisive Republican primary fight for an open state senate seat that he’s earned despite the Senate Republican Caucus’s insistence on running a woman in that district – can immediately and capably step in and competently run the assembly caucus for the duration of Campaign 2014.

The only thing standing in the way of fixing the damage Hickey has done is Hickey’s own pig-headedness. Time to exit, stage left, Pat. It might not be fair, but it’s the “right” thing to do.