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Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009 | 2:43 p.m.
Reader poll
Tim O'Callaghan
It appears President Obama’s off-the-cuff remarks have been taken out of context by Nevada’s economically strained hoteliers and Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, who has demanded an apology from the president.
During a town hall meeting Obama held to promote the economic stimulus package, he said, “You can’t get corporate jets, you can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer’s dime” — referring to corporate CEOs.
Unfortunately, Las Vegas was probably at the top of his mind for a couple of reasons. The first was Wells Fargo Bank’s plans to hold a corporate event to recognize employees, as reported by the Associated Press last week. To the credit of Wells Fargo, the company quickly reversed its plans canceling the event. This was unfortunate for Las Vegas' economic woes, though.
The second reason is the Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs’ run for cover after the fallout from Wells Fargo. Those Wall Street types are a slick bunch, because they still plan on having their conference — only in San Francisco, not Las Vegas. Here’s the kicker: The Four Seasons San Francisco is advertising on Orbitz.com rates of $395 a night, while THEHotel at Mandalay Bay is advertising $243 for the same nights and same suite.
With that said, perhaps Goodman and company may have a hair to stand on for their hypersensitivity. However, what if the president instead mentioned Chicago, Atlanta or San Francisco? Well, I am not convinced it would have the same chilling effect on any city. I don’t think there will be a chilling effect at all.
The president was correct to say, “You can’t get corporate jets, you can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer’s dime,” using federal bailout money.
This blowup begs the question of how many bailed-out companies are throwing conferences or parties anywhere using federal money. My guess is not many.
The bottom line is the president’s remarks will have very little effect on the convention business in Las Vegas. As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, “The President knows that Las Vegas is America’s premiere destination to do business. The city has more than 140,000 hotel rooms and tens of thousands of feet of meeting space.”
Perhaps, Oscar Goodman should retract his request for a presidential apology. We don’t need an apology — we need some economic stimulus.
Tim O’Callaghan, co-publisher of the Home News, can be reached at 990-2656 or tim.oc@vegas.com. He writes a regular blog at tocomv.blogspot.com.
The "Happiest Mayor on Earth" is in need of "intellectual stimulus."
We all understand the context of President Obama's comments, and for Goodman to suggest that even firms that take "taxpayer dollars" need to promote and provide employee incentives is so "crazy, funny" I don't know why he didn't suggest it sooner, that we give more taxpayer money to companies that have created this financial fiasco, so that they can come to Las Vegas and generate some economic stimulus for us. BRILLIANT!
Some will just shake their heads and say "its just Oscar being Oscar." I say this is one instance I thank goodness for term limits
Oscar is right on this one... These companies are just taking there conference elsewhere
WHY IS IT>? IF YOU GO TO SAY BERMUDA AND SPEND $100 ON A BLANKET AND SOME PIECE OF CRAP NECKLACE MADE FROM MACARONI
BUUUTTT IF YOU COME TO VEGAS AND PLAY 10 HANDS OF BLACK JACK WITH THE CHANCE OF ACTUALLY WINNING SOMETHING ITS CONSIDERED TABOO?!??
AHHH THE HYPOCRISY IN OUR WORLD
LIKE I SAID IN ANOTHER ARITICLE
EVERYONE CONSIDERS VEGAS THE CITY OF SIN
BUT THERE IS NOTHING THAT HAPPENS IN LAS VEGAS THAT DOESNT HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE WETHER IT BE A BIG CITY OR A SMALL TOWN
THEY ALL HAVE
PROSTITUION
GAMBLING
DRUGS
ALCOHOL
PARTIES
THING IS IT IS JUST OUT IN THE OPEN IN VEGAS
VEGAS IS AN HONEST PLACE
EVERYWHERE ELSE IS JUST A BEHIND CLOSED DOORS CITY WITH UPTIGHT PEOPLE ALL THE WHILE THOSE SAME UPTIGHT PEOPLE BEHIND THOSE CLOSED DOORS ARE DOING THE SAME THINGS THAT HAPPEN HERE IN VEGAS
THE ONLY REAAAL DIFFERENCE IS VEGAS IS SMART WE TAX IT
ON ANOTHER TOPIC
WE SHOULD BE GETTING MORE MONEY FROM MINING AND LEADING THE WORLD IN RENEWABLE RESOURCES
WHAT A BETTER PLACE TO PUT MILES OF SOLAR AND WIND FARMS THAN ON UNINHABITABLE LAND THAT PEOPLE WOULDNT OTHERWISE LIVE
NOT ON THE TESTING RANGES BUT DOWNWIND FROM THOSE SIGHTS WHERE THE RADIATION WOULDNT POSE SUCH A LARGE THREAT
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN OSCAR AND OBAMA
WE ARE ALL AMERICANS AND WE ALL NEED TO STICK TOGETHER AND GET BACK ON TOP
GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.
THE USA IS THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS
AND IN ANOTHER NOTE WHY DOES NEVADA BE THE ONLY STATE THAT IS REPORTED TO BE RUNNING OUT OF WATER?!?!?
WE GET 300,000 ACRE FEET A YEAR THE OTHER 6 STATES DIVY UP 20MILLION ACRE FEET
I THINK WE SHOULD BE AT LEAST GETTING AT THE VERY LEAST 1 MILLION ACRE FEET A YEAR
OF THE SNWA SHOULD JUST BUILD A COUPLE DESALINATION PLANTS AND THEN SELL THE WATER TO CALIFORNIA FOR CHEAP
Exactly to the point! Oscar Goodman should shut his mouth and apologize to Obama for being a putz. The hoteliers who jumped on oscars bandwagon need to do their jobs and attract people here with lower prices and more give a ways.
Wow MAGS, that was a mouthful could you break that down to a few sentences for me please.
Tim
Tim,
For some reason or other I just can't get back on track - at any rate, the Mayor is way out of line. His mob museum would be tantamount to having a Nazi Museum for all that they did to the Jews.
J.A.
Tim, you say that you don't believe President Obama's words won't have much effect on the Las Vegas convention business. How do you explain State Farm?
IMO, the President's words will be taken as a signal that companies in general should not be seen as having a good time in the current economic environment. Please note that I am aware of the context of the remark, but I doubt that the context matters much to the American public in general.
Tim is right.
Even though the Obama did not have to say the words "Las Vegas" to make his point, it is no big deal.
Nobody cares what Obama says anyway.
boftx,
One more or five more out of the hundreds of companies that come to town for conferences and conventions is not significant. However, the 11,000 rooms vacated by State Farm is large, however, it is not the end of the world. I may have to eat a little crow in the long run but I don't think so.
--Tim
On the other hand, if Bush said the exact same thing then in big blaring headlines on the Sun it would have said: "BUSH SEEKS TO DESTROY LAS VEGAS".
Tim, I hope you are right, but I have never seen any politician carry as much sway with the American people as Obama. The only comparison I can think of in terms of influence would be McCarthy. (And I am NOT comparing policies or positions, simply the issue of influence).
To me, this incident is s good example of what scared me most during the campaign season about Obama, the almost religious reverence attatched to anything Obama said.
Yes, the comment was taken out of context,still,
Las Vegas didn't need to be used as an example.
jfnance32,
In all fairness I think you have a point because if you listened to the Three Stooges, Rush, Hannity and Levin yesterday you would get the idea Obama referred to Las Vegas as Sodom and Gomorrah, and we the residents were left starving and unemployed.
--Tim
BTW--I refer to them as the Three Stooges because they are very entertaining. Emphasis on entertaining.
To you that think that using Las Vegas was a bad example...What should Obama have used as an example That would please you?
I wonder if the heirs of the Three Stooges can sue for libel?
All this talk about Oscar and his demand for a presidential apology is "great theater" for talk radio and the 24/7 cable channels that need to constantly be fed material to be outraged about, but does little to further the debate about our economic circumstances and how to begin the recovery process.
Everyone seems to agree the mortgage mess started the collapse of our economic house of cards. Yet, outside of Freddie and Fannie's "Holiday Moratorium" on foreclosures, little has been done to help the "underwater" homeowner. Better yet, the just agreed upon conference committee economic stimulus package removed the $15,000 tax credit for home buyers. So what gives? The financial freeloaders that helped create this fiasco hand out billions in bonuses just before "Uncle Sam" (meaning you and me the taxpayer) swoops in to save the day like "Mighty Mouse" and the folks that were trying to live the American Dream are about to give their kids and grandkids ONE BIG FAT IOU!
Some times this situation seems so surreal
It can't be helped that some people will misinterpret Obama's words.
They were crystal clear: If you take taxpayer money, you need to behave like your company is in crisis.
Sending a bunch of your employees on a two-week luxury binge wherever is unacceptable for companies that have taken billions in a taxpayer-funded bailout. It's fiscally irresponsible and stinks of mismanagement.
WOW TIM
WHATS WRONG YOU CANT READ in paragraphs?
you couldnt address one thing i stated you know why that is
it is bc it is the truth
Vegas is the SAME AS EVERY OTHER CITY IN AMERICA
Same drugs, same tackiness, same prostitution, same corruption
MAGS,
That's because I had no reason to address any of your comments, because they are valid. If you followed my columns you would realize I've already addressed 90% of your comments. Such as Mining
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/dec...
It's just darn tough to read (Hear) through all the shouting (ALL CAPS).
Cheers,
--Tim
Why did Obama have to use the words "Las Vegas"?
He did could have made his point without those words.
What he is dumb or does he hate Las Vegas? It has to be one of the two.
Like I said before, it is no big deal.
Nobody listens to Obama.
magsny,
You need to get your facts straight. Las Vegas is not like every other city. You need to look at some stats. { double national average crime rate, 2nd highest foreclosure rate, and we won't even discuss the unemployment rate.} Yes, every city has its issues, but they don't speak of them PROUDLY. { what happens in vegas......}In fact, they try to alleviate those issues, like prostitution for example. You will NEVER see a bus with a picture of a prostitute on the side of it with the phone number to call in Seattle or Denver. {I use those cities so you can't say they are boring with nothing going on} You would never see half of the phone book littered with advertisements for escorts services. You WILL never see the city allow people to stand on the street and try to pass you porn flyers, then leave them laying all over the sidewalk for anyone to view. { loitering, soliciting, littering, all arrestable offenses.} If Las Vegas wants to be taken seriously as a city to do business in, they need to CLEAN IT UP! By the way, 54% of the people agree with me!
"What he is dumb or does he hate Las Vegas? It has to be one of the two."
Jfnance32, it is obvious that you hate Obama. You even admit that you understand his point, but continue to whine about two words?
And calling Obama dumb? Your hatred of Obama colors everything you write.
He is making a negative remark about Las Vegas.
He could made his point without using the words "Las Vegas". I guess he equates Las Vegas to junkets. He must think lowly of Las Vegas.
That is your hero talking...not mine.
I do not think it is a big deal.
Nobody listens to Obama.
He did not say anything bad about Las Vegas. I guess you are having reading comprehension problems again.
He said, "You can't get corporate jets, you can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer's dime."
There is nothing negative about Las Vegas in that sentence.
Admit it: your hatred of Obama is clouding your judgement.
How about a trip to Hawaii on the tax payers dime?
Goodman puts on a good show. But we all know that a vacation in Las Vegas is about Fun, Indulgence, and, yes, Sin -- none of which quite fit in with the Protestant work ethic. Goodman is playing it well...with hundreds of billions of stimulus on Obama's hands, it's a good time to make the guy feel he owes Las Vegas something...!
You go, Oscar!
As I had said before elsewhere, I wonder if anyone did any research and checked the convention and meeting calendars for Orlando, Chicago, DC, NY or Miami. I don't recall hearing any elected official putting Mickey or Obama's hometowns out there as being frivolous. $1000 goes a lot further in Vegas than it does in Disneyville or Chi-Town. I guess it's not frivolous to ride Space Mountain after the marketing seminar. I guess it's not frivolous to shop lakeside after the sales seminar.
Maybe he also hates the Superbowl??
Come on now..
The reason he had chosen those words, is because it is a passionate and animated speaker!
Let's think about all the awesome things 43 said..
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
Yahoo! News, August 5, 2004, upon signing a US$417 billion defense spending bill
Using a tax-payer supported bailout for a fancy trip to Vegas, Cancun, Rio de Janiero; an outhouse by any other name still reeks of misappropriation of cash meant to keep the business afloat.
Obama was just calling those people on their misuse of that bailout cash; he did nothing wrong.
I say put all those dumb CEO's in jail and let them think about what they did.
THEBS said it all.That is the bottom line here. It has nothing to do with companies that are solvent and standing on their own that wish to come to Vegas with their business,but ONLY those using "Bail Out" taxpayers money when their own company is failing.wake up people !!!