Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Las Vegas Sun
President Barack Obama listens Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) during a town hall meeting at Green Valley High School in Henderson Friday, February 19, 2010.
By J. Patrick Coolican (contact) 
, Lisa Mascaro, Michael Mishak
Published Friday, Feb. 19, 2010 | 9:44 a.m.
Updated Friday, Feb. 19, 2010 | 5:46 p.m.
Obama in Las Vegas
Sun Archives
- Obama to announce new foreclosure rescue program in Las Vegas (2-19-2010)
- Obama lands in Las Vegas for second visit of presidency (2-18-2010)
- Obama and Reid forge bond beyond politics as usual (2-18-2010)
- Green Valley High will host Obama town hall meeting (2-16-2010)
- FAA restricting Las Vegas air space during Obama visit (2-17-2010)
- Goodman: Obama needs to ‘straighten out’ what he said about Las Vegas (2-17-2010)
- Green Valley High will host Obama town hall meeting (2-16-2010)
President Barack Obama was in full campaign mode today in Las Vegas, meeting with business leaders at one stop and engaging in a town-hall question-and-answer session at another that touched on health care reform, the economic recovery -- and even the importance of flossing daily.
Obama was fighting not just for his own administration's policies as he starts a difficult second year, but also for the political fortunes of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who got multiple shout-outs from the commander-in-chief for the work he has done to right the economy and pass health care reform.
As the president's poll numbers slip, Obama said he knows the bank bailout and stimulus were not popular measures. But he said he and Reid made the hard choices to support them because "it was the right thing to do." Reid's poll numbers are dismal and he faces the fight of his political life this November.
"Almost 2 million more Americans are working right now because of what Harry Reid did," Obama said during the first stop at Green Valley High School before a packed crowd, most of whom waited in line Thursday for tickets on a first-come, first-serve basis.
"Ninety-five percent of you got a tax cut because of Harry Reid" and the recovery act, Obama said.
The events followed a Thursday evening fundraiser at the private home of Palms casino head George Maloof that aimed to raise $1 million for the Democratic National Committee. Donors paid up to $30,400, the maximum allowed for the evening event. Obama stayed overnight at the Bellagio.
Today, Obama delivered what became the closest to a mea culpa for what some considered his disparaging remarks last month toward the city.
As the president opened his talk with business leaders at CityCenter, the largest privately funded development in U.S. history, Obama addressed his Vegas comments head on.
In a Feb. 2 speech in New Hamphire, Obama said, "You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices. It's time your government did the same." The comment inflamed Las Vegas leaders, most notably Mayor Oscar Goodman, who declined invitations to greet the president and attend today's events.
On Friday, Obama told about 650 business leaders from the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, "Let me set the record straight: I love Vegas."
The statement drew a standing ovation.
He added: "I enjoy myself every time I've had an opportunity to visit."
Obama joked that he had gotten a royal flush in a poker game last night and "cut the budget deficit in half."
He said his statement remains true -- "The only place people should spend their college savings is college" -- but insisted it wasn't meant as a dig at Las Vegas.
In both talks, Obama was in pure campaign mode, talking his policies outside the beltway and directly to the people and potential voters he needs to reach to build populist support heading into the November election.
After delivering his prepared remarks at Green Valley High School, Obama took off his coat -- to great applause. He rolled up his sleeves and fielded questions from the audience, choosing a handful of speakers in alternating fashion school-style, alternating boys and girls, as he put it.
Questions revolved heavily around health care reform. But Obama got a made-for-the-moment assist when he asked a man from Arkansas what he was doing in Las Vegas.
"Everybody comes to Vegas," the man said, drawing huge cheers from the crowd of the tourism-dependent city that is still hard hit by the Great Recession.
Obama smiled broadly. It was a reprieve for the president who was heavily criticized by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and other elected officials for having used the city twice as a punchline in discussions of fiscal discipline. Most recently, the president said families shouldn't spend money on Vegas when they should be saving for college.
"That's what I'm talking about," Obama said to more applause.
The man also asked about dental care as part of health care reform, prompting Obama to admonish the crowd and consider proper dental hygiene.
"Everybody floss," the president said.
Jahan Wilcox, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee, released a statement saying the president will not help Reid's re-election this fall.
“Senator Harry Reid is deeply disconnected from Nevada, which explains why his constituents are so displeased with him," Wilcox said.
"From muscling through his failed $862 billion stimulus bill, to crafting backroom health care deals, to shelving a bipartisan jobs bill¬ that would have extended the sales tax deduction to over 132,000 Nevadans ¬ Harry Reid has been nothing but a fierce partisan in Washington and a quick visit from President Obama won’t save him this November.”
The president’s plane lifted off from McCarran International Airport at about 1 p.m. Friday en route to Andrews Air Force base and the White House..
Sun reporter Kyle Hansen contributed to this report.
Is the gym half full or half empty? Probably the former for all you "hope and changers." For excitement, maybe Obama should have brought along his spiritual mentor for the invocation (Reverend Wright, in case you have forgotten, conveniently or otherwise).
I bet Harry loved how Obama threw him right under the bus when Obama told that lady to take her problems to Harry.
Also, wanna bet Obama's people made a special effort to find someone like that guy from Arkansas so Obama could get a favorable sound-bite out about Vegas?
Obama's comment about not coming to Vegas and spending money is rather ironic when he is wanting some to spend what $30,000 for his fund raising lunch/dinner whatever meal it is for today, don't spend money in Vegas but please come and spend money and alot of it for a meal for me and the democrats. What a hypocrite, down with him and Harry. How's that change workin for some of ya?
Obama and Reid have rolled the dice and they both are losers.
I thought we got our fill of these same speeches and questions over a year ago during the campaign. Green jobs are the future, study math and science, Yippee! Now, go pray they extend unemployment while there are no jobs.
Obama talks down to the nation like we are a bunch of little children. Where does he get the corner on wisdom? Oh yes I forgot, the Dems like to enlarge government and treat Americans as their subjects who can't think for ourselves. GET BACK ON DE PLANE KING OBAMA!!!
Feel free to spend $30k a pop to see me, but don't blow your money in Vegas.
Folks blaming Obama for the current economy are like folks who blame firefighters for starting the fire while the arsonists got away scot free! Do you really think that gas went to $4 while oilmen from Texas were in the White House was just a coincidence? Give me a friggin' break!
Harry Reid Baught and PAID for! Only 1.5B.
What a bunch of whining, sniveling children!
He could have said "Every Nevadan gets a million dollars today!" and you folks would have a cow.
HALF EMPTY GYM? (that's our governors name, by the way!) It certainly looks PACKED in the PHOTOS... were we supposed to stack people like cord wood for appearances?
Have Oblame take his money into the casino, then he can blame the loss on gambling. just tryin to help
Harry will be thrilled to hear he's been "baught."
I think I saw LARRYVEGAS in one of those pictures... hope he isn't planning any funny business!
BobbyG, you are correct, Music Man. Right on the money.
In his speech, Obama said something to the effect that misinformation was the reason for the lack of public support for healthcare reform, not general lack of support. The man is absolutely out of touch, isn't he? His buddies in Congress have blown it, but he won't leave it alone and start over. What a waste.
Once again, I plead with Nevada's voters to get rid of Harry Reid in November. He's part of that incumbency (including John McCain) that we need to get rid of. Washington is not listening to "we the people". The only way we can send a message is to vote out all incumbents that we can. That's our official demand to "pay attention" and quit posturing, politicizing, pandering and pfouling up.
I personally didn't listen to BO with his continuing campaign speeches. Enough already! And I just WONDER if those who were chosen to ask questions were random. Yeah, right...
Right on srreality...he's completely out of touch as is everyone in Congress, the career criminals, er, uh, politicians. Seeing these guys in there when they're over 70...WTF?
As far as this "misinformation" reason...heck, HE couldn't even explain the health care thingy. My question would have been: Why do you and Pelosi and Reid INSIST on shoving this health care bill down our throats when the majority of Americans DO NOT WANT IT? Regardless of what YOU might think, you don't know what's best for us. WE DO!
The president was amazing in both speeches, he is the greatest orator in American politics since Kennedy. Now the morons on the right will say that he uses a teleprompter, but he has shown many times (like the Q and A today), that he can work very will without one and has a sharp mind and is quick on his feet. You have to hand it to him, he is the real deal.
I hope that the initiative with Reid will bring the $100's of millions to this state to stem the tide of housing foreclosures.
"I hope that the initiative with Reid will bring the $100's of millions to this state to stem the tide of housing foreclosures."
notacon obviously didn't read the article outlining this program that said according to the distrubution formula Nevada will get only about $100M of that $1.5 Billion (less than 7%) yet we have been hit the hardest of all four states mentioned. Harry is doing a GREAT job for his donors in California. (I bet notacon missed the story that Reid is raising money there while Obama is stumping for him here.)
Preconceived notions are prevalent today. According to Wilcox, the stimulus bill is "failed" today, when that won't become known for a couple of years. Total political posturing.
Most Americans do not want Health Care reform, yeah, maybe most Americans stuck on Fox News. You should get off your computers and step away from your TV's and go meet people. Talk to other Americans outside of your circle. What was proposed isn't perfect, but saying something doesn't need to be done is absolutely ridiculous.
On what planet do most of you that posted here spend your time?
I was there at the town hall. Most of the people that were there stood in line yesterday for hours to get tickets to attend today.
The President was on his game telling it like it is and telling us what he is trying to do about it.
There was allot of love in the room, love of our President and love of our country.
The kids in the stands gave their principle and their President a standing O.
God I love my country!!!!
Hey BobbyG: And just think that all those platitudes were invented back in the 1960s by "LIBERALS" >>> YOU KNOW LIKE >>> GAS,GRASS,OR ASS >>> NOBODY RIDES FOR FREE!!!
Keep moving along folks....nothing to see here, just window dressing and false hope. These two clowns should start their own circus, they'll get better attendance than the vauldville act they put on now. Anyone care to guess how long it will take to trickle that "relief" fund to our needy citizens? That "cash for caulkers" program is really working out well too. Gotta go or I'll miss the new "Welcome back Carter" episode.
545 PEOPLE
By Charlie Reese
Politicians are the only people in the world who create problems and then campaign against them.
Have you ever wondered, if both the Democrats and the Republicans are against deficits, WHY do we have deficits?
Have you ever wondered, if all the politicians are against inflation and high taxes, WHY do we have inflation and high taxes?One hundred senators, 435 congressmen, one president, and nine Supreme Court justices 545 human beings out of the 300 million are directly, legally, morally, and individually responsible for the domestic problems that plague this country.
What separates a politician from a normal human being is an excessive amount of gall. No normal human being would have the gall of a Speaker, who stood up and criticized the President for creating deficits. The president can only propose a budget. He cannot force the Congress to accept it.
There are no insoluble government problems.
Do not let these 545 people shift the blame to bureaucrats, whom they hire and whose jobs they can abolish; to lobbyists, whose gifts and advice they can reject; to regulators, to whom they give the power to regulate and from whom they can take this power. Above all, do not let them con you into the belief that there exists disembodied mystical forces like "the economy," "inflation," or "politics" that prevent them from doing what they take an oath to do.
Those 545 people, and they alone, are responsible.
They, and they alone, have the power.
They, and they alone, should be held accountable by the people who are their bosses.
Provided the voters have the gumption to manage their own employees.
We should vote all of them out of office and clean up their mess!
A very good article not all used here but the intelligent people can find and read the entire article. This is how change in this country will need to happen.
"God I love my Country!!!!"
How does Obama's spiritual mentor, Reverend Wright, feel about his country?
I would wait again for hours to see the president. Great event!
I won't get into the name calling like many here are doing, but isn't it ironic that I'm being called 'ignorant' (as a supporter of Obama) by the same party followers with the likes of Quayle, Bush, Palin and Gibbons??! Really?
In all seriousness, let's make a real effort to elevate the level of political discourse. We're all Americans. We can agree to disagree, but the hysteria about socialism, etc. is just petulant. The right had reigns of this country for eight long awful years.
Give the man a chance to turn it around (and not just in 365 days). If he doesn't, don't vote for him.
Quote Obama, open your mouth, I'm just gonna shove the Obama Death Care and spending down your throat.
Harry Reid is assisting. Change 2010.
Words are cheap. When you measure the results of Searchlight Harry and Obamination you come up with Empty Suited Dolts making promises that are never or ever will be kept. Both deserve to be voted out of office.
Wow, all you bitter crybabies still whining about Obama being elected and about his comment regarding Vegas. Get over yourselves!! Grow up... stop whining and do something about it instead of just bitchin.
RSN
Nice to hear the truth from someone who actually went.
The whiners and sniveling complainers just never quit!
like this nonsense from lovethestrip;
Quote Obama, open your mouth, I'm just gonna shove the Obama Death Care and spending down your throat.
Now that's just moronic claptrap.
Go back to Washington, Obama! Dump your awful Obamacare and start with working to get real HC reform for ALL Americans, not that monstrosity you keep pushing! And quit spending our money!
It's great being employed. I saved my money and went to college. I worked hard at every job and earned my career. People can cry all they want, but all that crying isn't gonna get them a job.
Let's face it. Las Vegas is an entry-level city. Sure, there are jobs for solar power engineers, scientists, doctors, teachers, etc. But for the most part, the tourism part of the city is entry-level. Anybody can be a bus-boy or a janitor. Anybody can be a cab driver or a bartender. But what recourse do you have when the tourism market dries up?
Take whatever money you have and go to school. Make connections in the field you are interested in. Government can't wipe your a**, whether GOP or DEM. If you WANT a job, you can get a job. Plain and simple. There are several Vegas companies that are hiring.
But if you didn't go to school or learn a trade or talk a mean game, you aren't going anywhere, no matter who is president.
And YES, I was born in Las Vegas. I have lived here my entire life. No excuses.
Obama hasn't told the truth about anything, do you really believe he "likes Vegas"? As for Harry Reid, best to watch him in Washington if you think he gives a hoot about Nevadans. His first priority is ILLEGALS for the benefit of the party. Concern for the U.S. or Nevada is as important to him as the Constitution. NOT!
The 4 racist radio stations in town went into overdrive spewing their bigotry. Other course, 30 on the air people and not one is black or Hispanic.
If Reid is so vulnerable, why is the loudmouth with the loud shirt in the morning so concern about the tea party party? I thought Reid was "way behind?" What are the self-anointed kingmakers so worried about?
Not surprisingly, the "winner" of a contrived "Radio Star Contest" is going to become the communication's director for the Nevada Republican Party. Of course this is after a employee of John Ensign just miraculously won the last "Radio Star Contest." Looks like KXNT is an arm of the Republican Party. I wonder if they are going to fill out the necessary campaign finance documents? They are behind most of the phoney falderal about "Obama dissing Vegas."
POWERPLAY and mred, two peas in a pod.
It was only 15 months ago when our economy was going down faster than a $10 hooker. GW had sweat on his brow and John McCain was eating his "our economy is great" words.
The Republicans just had 8 unbroken years in power and this country was headed for another depression. These are not my ideas, these were the warnings coming from the Bush White House as they pleaded for the financial bailout.
Today, I watched a string of Republican hopefuls line up and one by one, decry the very things they brought upon our people. (Big gov't, financial market madnes, huge deficits, rising unemployment, massive outsourcing of American jobs etc.)
Listening to this crap I had to wonder if I had somehow fallen into Alice's Wonderland where up is down and left is right and you know the rest of the story.
Look guys, if you are a banker, a big exec or just a cheap bastard, vote for the party that took us to the brink. But don't make serious minded regular people have to listen to a rewrite of history.
... SORRY S. Nevada, Calif., Fla.!!! You have NOBODY but YOURSELVES To BLAME for YOUR housing market COLLAPSES!!! Totally OVERBLOWN speculation = STUPIDITY, OVER-GROWTH, FORECLOSURES!!! Total-REALITY-check!!! Take- your-TEARS to OSCAR-&-his BUDDIES!!!
President Obama knocked it out of the park
again.
President Obama and Harry Reid are doing a
great job. We are luckey to have them running
our country.
Hahaha--
very well said--it takes desire, effort, and hard work!
newsy97:
Good post.
Logic and clear thinking is a unknown concept to these nut jobs who are blaming every woe on Obama.
They must have been comatose during the bush debacle.
Is the Liar in Chief playing "pocket pool" or is he looking for a "set?"
I will 3rd bertsos.
newsy97, good stuff.
Obama came to town.
All I got was a hopey-changey T-shirt.
Stupid remarks from stupid republican losers.
A failing president using bribery to buy votes. What a shock that is..haha! Those votes will be cashed in by the same irresponsible people who partied their life away in Vegas and lived like kings and queens, are bankrupt, and now will receive a bailout and reward Obama with their vote. Corruption to the extreme. The responsible people get screwed yet again. We need to rid these socialist cockroaches from office. November 2010 going to be an ugly mess for these congressional dictators. Nevadan's as well as American's are sick of the lies. Time to kick them all to the curb.
The Liar-in-Chief is the carted around in one of the largest carbon emitting aircraft in the world. And he's none to shy about utilizing the jet to spread his propaganda. 150+ trips last year. Look up hypocrite in the dictionary, you'll find Obama there.
Arrogant Obama bows and apologizes to everyone around the world including despicable leaders, terrorists, etc.. and yet, is the ultimate partisan politician that could never swallow his pride and offer a sincere apology to mayor Goodman who is 100% correct. As chief narcissist, he is simply incapable of such a human act. Obama is a ruthless and cold and calculating man with ice in his veins. He is without question the most anti-American president we have ever seen. He would be very fit to run a country such as Venezuela or Cuba. Reid is very lucky to have Obama's stamp of approval, a sure sign that he'll be cleaning his desk out in November.
Look up republican in the dictionary,
you'll find teabagger there.
Harry Reid will be re-elected.
No republican crooks, thank you.
Look up Tea Party in November,
They will be sitting in Congress.
Harry Reid will be re-elected
the day after teenster uses his
brain for something useful...
The Democrts are busy fixing the bush- cheney
mess.
The republican teabaggers ruined our economy.
They have no clue.
ellie_light... none too bright. And rather ill-tempered, and ill-informed;
"Arrogant Obama bows and apologizes to everyone around the world including despicable leaders, terrorists, etc.. and yet, is the ultimate partisan politician that could never swallow his pride and offer a sincere apology to mayor Goodman who is 100% correct."
wow.
yeah Obama has been less than perfect, but if you think this economy is his doing, go back and examine exactly when everything fell apart. Did the stimulus package work? This is a question that economists will only be able to answer in hindsight. In the present though, we were damned if we did, damned if we didn't.
Ask yourself what is it you fear about health care reform? Do you really think nothing should be done about it?? What are the Republican's, or Tea Party's proposals to fixing health care?
"Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt" - Harvey Mackay
(recommended read)
: {
http://www.amazon.com/Beware-Naked-Man-O...
The republican teabagger proposal is "NO".
They are just sorry losers.
Yeah, coming from someone who claimed tour companies lost "hundreds of thousands of dollars" from the airspace being shut down for 20 minutes, dhvincent? Get real.
Care to show your math at how you came up with that dollar amount?
Yeah, at least he is gone and I can come out of my house without being bombarded by those idiot rays that turn honest good meaning people into a bunch of Liberal zombies...
republican teabagger zombies.
If you cant change the economy, change the neighbours and learn to be friendly. Ray of sunshine could ease a lot.
By the way, competing has changed world economy to the worst for years.
The teamster used to be a mindless zombie, but then he morphed into a thoughtless Liberal...
Liberal, and proud of it.
Jesus was also a Liberal.
Do you think Jesus was thoughtless, larry?
dhvincent1:
The full capacity of the new high school gyms is about 3000; however, for this type of event, parts of the gym are blocked off for security reasons. It was estimated by Henderson Police that about 1200 people were turned away in line Thursday, due to tickets running out. Try to check your facts first! Using the word "pathetic" twice in only two lines is kind of pathetic, don't you think? Raising 1 million dollars in less than 2 hours, though--hmm. . .nothing to sneeze at!
teamster;
Jesus was a community organizer as well as a liberal
Pontius Pilot was a governor
Why is Brian Greenspin so gutless?
He won't allow any feedback on his editorial in todays Sun.
That is a two faced approach to social media. We want to hear what the community is thinking, except when
"Dear Leader" has spoken.
Brian, if your to insecure to allow a negative response to your editorials, maybe you should stick to managing casinos. Oops, they are in bankruptcy.
Jesus believed in personal responsibility which contradicts the liberal mantra of collective responsibility. Although Jesus preached kindness to others, he would have disapproved of a government that took care of its citizens by conferring rights (such as health care) that can only be described as alienable and a justification of socialist wealth redistribution. But that aside, Jesus was pro-life and thus conservative.
Unfortunately Ken, Jesus is fake.
cpa_ken, a quote for you: "What is now required of us is a new era of responsibility." That was Barack Obama's inaugural address. Not even I think Obama is God or Jesus. But I'm glad you do. Because Obama is doing what anyone who would claim to believe in the Judeo-Christian ethic would do: help those who need help. Harry Reid is doing the same.