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Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun
President Barack Obama enters the Cashman Center for a campaign stop Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012.
By Tovin Lapan (contact) 
Published Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012 | 6:25 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012 | 8:15 p.m.
President Barack Obama capped a hectic day in which he awoke to news of a fatal attack on a U.S. diplomatic outpost with a campaign rally at Cashman Center.
According to the campaign, the speech and the president’s schedule were adjusted so he could address the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others Tuesday.
Obama first gave a statement on the attack in a Wednesday morning news conference at the White House before visiting the State Department.
Obama took the Cashman Center stage just after 6 p.m. and started his address to the crowd of approximately 8,000 with remarks on the attack. The president said the government would be “relentless” in its pursuit of those who attacked the consulate.
“I assure you we are going to bring their criminals to justice,” he said. “And we want to send the message around the world that no act of terror will dim the light of the values that we proudly shine on the rest of the world.”
The president then segued into statements on the election, delivering a wide-ranging speech that highlighted contrasting positions between himself and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.
Standing in front of a banner reading “Forward,” the president took a cue from his scenery and peppered the word throughout his speech.
“We are not going back, we are going forward, we are going forward,” he said. “We are going forward Nevada, and that’s why I’m running for a second term.”
The president said while Republicans have focused new proposals for tax cuts on the wealthy, he is focused on the middle and lower classes.
“We don’t believe in an economy that flows from the top down, we believe in an economy that flows from the middle out and from the bottom up,” Obama said. “We believe in an economy that gives everyone a chance.”
The message focusing on the middle class, education and job growth resonated with Kenadie Richardson and Cheryl Lawrence. The two friends, who attended the event together, said they voted for Obama in 2008 and, if anything, are more motivated to do what they can to help the president win in November.
“My feelings are even stronger now than four years ago,” Lawrence said. “He came in and is trying to clean up the mess he was left. You can’t expect to him to have fixed everything in four years.”
Richardson, a business consultant, said she believed Obama would be better for the middle and lower classes.
“This Republican strategy of pull yourself up by the bootstraps is impossible, it’s not a strategy at all,” Richardson said. “We need everybody working together and contributing. Mitt Romney and the Republicans don’t care about the middle class. The middle class is disappearing, and the Republicans think if you help the poor it’s socialism. It’s ridiculous.”
The president touted programs to help underwater homeowners refinance their mortgages, and said he was willing to do more. Similar comments on housing made by the president earlier in the day elicited a rapid response from the Romney campaign.
“President Obama’s revisionist history on housing is laughable. Tonight, he told Americans that he pursued steps to aid the housing market, yet it was reported just this week that the president also said, ‘We will not roll out an aggressive housing plan,’” Romney spokesman Mason Harrison said in a statement, referencing a quote from the president in Bob Woodward’s new book, “The Price of Politics,” made during discussions on the stimulus package.
“As Nevadans have faced foreclosure, declining home values and seen their hard earned wealth wiped away, they will not buy the president’s spin and will hold him to account for his failed record,” Harrison said.
Referencing a plan from Romney’s running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan, to restructure Medicare in part by issuing vouchers to recipients, Obama said he would "never turn Medicare into a voucher.”
He also defended tighter regulations on banks, and attacked calls to privatize Social Security, saying he would not “hand the program over to Wall Street like a stack of poker chips.”
Several times during his 29-minute speech the president was serenaded with boisterous chants of “four more years” that echoed off the walls in the cavernous events hall. “I never said in 2008 that it was going to be easy. As President Clinton said, it’s going to take more than a few years to solve challenges that have been building up over decades,” Obama said, referencing former President Bill Clinton’s speech last week at the Democratic National Convention.
This was Obama's eighth visit to the Silver State this year. He was last in Las Vegas on Aug. 22, when he spoke about education during a rally at Canyon Springs High School.
After the Cashman Center rally, Obama returned to McCarran International Airport, reboarded Air Force One and took off for a Thursday campaign event in the Denver area. His total time in Las Vegas was about 3 1/2 hours.
Welcome to Las Vegas, Mr. President!
In 2008 Nevada was supposed to be a swing state -- a swing state that swung to the Democratic candidate by 12%.
Well, the pundits are doing it again for this election. It won't be close ... again.
Go home Mr. President, you fooled me once so now you can pack your things and don't let the door hit you.
I am hoping this is his farewell tour.
The only way we can move forward is without him!
Obama is the biggest hoax ever perpetrated on the American People. He is an empty suit sitting in an empty chair.
As America awoke to the news that in Cairo, Egypt the American embassy has been overrun and in Benghazi, Libya the America embassy was bombed and the American ambassador murdered by al Qaeda --- Obama flew to Las Vegas for a campaign money stop.
So much for the 3:00 am crisis that Obama fended off with a smirk during the 2008 election
"Here's the thing," Obama said, "I don't think the best thing for today's new challenges are old sales pitches.
----
Obama's sale pitch is Osama bin Laden is dead. But al Qaeda is alive.
- While taking billions of dollars Hamid Karzai is kicking Obama out of Afghanistan to allow the Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar to return in triumph.
- While taking billions of dollars Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki has kicked Obama out of Iraq so he can allow Iran to fly weapons into the Assad Syria.
- While taking billion of dollars President Mohamed Morsi is preventing any security protection of Coptic Christians and the American Embassy in Egypt
- While taking billions of dollars Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf of Pakistan is harboring al Qaeda and Taliban leaders attacking Americans.
- While Obama will not draw a red line with our friend Israel on Iran's nuclear weapon
Following efforts in Egypt, Afghanistan, Yemen, Bahrain, Sudan, Syria, and other middle East places Obama is looking for another Regime Change under his watch. So far we have no idea who will take over in these countries. The Black Muslim Brotherhood supported by Obama is seemingly overwhelming any moderate Muslims.
Comment removed by moderator. Name Calling
Mr. President, you can count on Nevada in your your goal to win reelection and continue the steady progress of getting our economy out of this GOP ditch.
I missed the event. Did he insult Las Vegas again today?
As far as the economy goes I think it is time Obama manned up and took responsibility for his poor leadership and lack of good sound judgment. The economy belongs to Obama and only Obama. What is especially disturbing is that too many people still have faith in this idiot.
Here's whet the president had to say about Willard Romney's strange choice of words on the attack and murder of a US diplomat:
Romney Tends 'To Shoot First And Aim Later'
Shoot first and aim later? Hmmm ... that reminds me another republican. I believe his nane is George W Bush. It was a long, long time ago, almost four full years, but some of you oldtimers may remember the previous president who invaded Iraq and cost us a trillion taxpayer dollars and over four-thousand troops in that sad debacle.
Oh well, incompetence is in the GOP blood.
Bush = Romney = Shoot first, aim later.
WELCOME AGAIN PRESIDENT OBAMA....
You're always welcome to our great state of
Nevada.
We're a solid DEMOCRATIC STATE.
SOLID BLUE.
NEVADA WILL BE RE-ELECTING YOU!!!
LastThroes.....
That's right, romney proved his foreign policy
incompetence today.
John Kerry said romney's statement was dangerous.
Nobody but nobody is more out of touch on foreign
policy and the economy than romney/ryan!
WE'RE KEEPING PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!
Obama's State Depart 1st statement after the murder of the US ambassador was to say that America was sorry for making people mad.
Hopefully in Nov we get rid of these clowns.
AND PRESIDENT OBAMA.....
Please ignore the ignorant, heartless, republicans
who comment here.
We DEMOCRATS will out-vote them in droves.
republicans have never been this desperate or
this stupid.
Comment removed by moderator. Personal Attack
The fact is that Pres. Obama cast Las Vegas in a bad light twice. It was insulting to many and it caused groups to cancel conventions in Las Vegas at a time when we could least afford it.
Quit whitewashing for the President and just admit he messed up.
Obama said you shouldn't blow your kids' college fund in Vegas. Then he said firms taking bailout cash shouldn't be taking lavish vacations to places like Vegas.
For those with a brain, it's sage advice.
"Obama's State Depar[sic]t 1st statement after[sic] the murder of the US ambassador was to say that America was sorry for making people mad."
An error of basic chronology. Shouldn't be surprised, given the source.
The "statement" that Jim Nance, err jfnance32, err SgtRockforBrains is referring to was not a statement, but a facebook post from the Egyptian embassy that came hours BEFORE our Ambassador lost his life in a neighboring country.
Jfnance32, err, SgtRockforBrains apparently thinks every tweet, text and facebook update from every government agency has Obama's explicit support.
Again, I'm not surprised, given the source.
Get the facts:
"Romney said the embassy in Cairo denounced the film - called "Innocence of Muslims" - after the mission in Egypt was stormed, suggesting that President Barack Obama's administration had bowed to pressure from demonstrators."
"But Reuters correspondents in Cairo said the embassy posted the statement on its Facebook page on Tuesday morning before the protest began, not after it had started."
"A senior U.S. official also said the statement, which condemned "the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims," was released before any demonstrations had begun."
"The statement was later pulled from the Internet because it was not coordinated with the State Department in Washington, the official said."
"Critics, including some Republican allies, said Romney was too quick to use the Libya and Egypt incidents as fodder for a campaign attack before knowing the full extent of what happened in the two North African countries."
Exploit the death of an American hero in order to score political points? Typical GOP.
I love the liberal in the comments here that are typing like Obama i actually going to read the garbage they are writing.
Loved the speech, loved the energy, LOVE The President. We have donated money, and are signed up to donate our time.
Now, all you "NOBAMA" whiners...I ask you...Are you going to rally for your guy? Are you going to pound the pavement on your days off? Will you give up weekends to work for your side? We will, we are.
Obama 2012. Civil Rights, Equal Pay, a healthy America. Why do you hate that so much?
More and more Mitt Romney and the truth seem to be becoming strangers. I've watched his contentions, for example, that President Obama claimed his stimulus plan would prevent unemployment from exceeding 8%, that the President goes around the world apologizing for America, and that he's trashing welfare to work. All these have been widely discredited as untrue by multiple fact checkers. Despite this Romney persists.
I can only conclude that he is either so blindly ambitious to be President he'll do anything or he is unable to admit his own mistakes or both. These are serious character flaws that should not be ignored in voting decisions.
Ryan voted against the veterans Bill, Romney cut money for Vets as GOV of Mass. Romney attacked our Cairo embassy with his comments --then the embassy was attacked by demonstrators. Romney has sided with the the America haters. 4 deferment Romney should stop lying to America.
The Muslim Brotherhood is better off now then they were 4 years ago. BTW, did the quarterly aid check get out to them yet?
"John Kerry said romney's statement was dangerous."
Is that "Hanoi John" Kerry, the one who picked John edwards to be his running mate? Too funny!
the guy behind the video might have Nevada ties
http://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2012...
What is very sad, as Americans, we are not openly supporting the President during this time of attack against the embassy in Libya. Both parties, all parties, should be supporting the President in supporting American embassy all over the world.
People, you are safe for many reasons, President Obama is a big part of our safety. Where is your support for the President? For America! Show some gratitude people! You all who are currently enjoying American freedom and independence...You didn't fight for this! This freedom was fought long ago by "real" American Patriots, being maintained by our current man and woman at the front lines. They don't hate America!
Plan and simple, if your not supporting our President,...any President, during a time of attack against American, YOUR NOT AN AMERICA! Your something else!!!.
Is this country so full of bias, prejudice, believing lies and only thinking of self...forget your neighbor, and just having outright hate, that we as a nation, as Americans, would not support the hand that feeds our freedom and independence? What the hell have we've become???
Bigotry and Hatred. If this is you, your group, your family of Un-Americans. Do us all a big favor and leave the country!!!! And don't come back!!!!
Longtime, if we leave the country who will create the businesses that employ most Americans? Government?
Anyone notice the FBI asleep at the wheel yet again? On the same anniversary as their last colossal failure - Sept 11, 2001.
Time for a name change! AFBI (after the fact bureau of investigations)
Seriously folks, if we are feeding this agency 2 billion dollars every year, we have paid for their own satellites and intelligence gathering equipment that most any global military would be glad to have - We pay for FBI attaches in every US Embassy in the world (Including the Caribbean -yet Miami is a 2 hour flight) We have 600 agents working counter-terrorism - And they can't PREVENT these spider dweller attacks just once? How many domestic cases are a sham? Some 19 year-old Muslim convert in the inner-city - plot to blow up the Sears's tower or bridge & tunnel and we find out the FBI fabricated the entire case and had to provide a bus pass so the "target" could get to his own sting! This is twice on Mueller's watch and that clown, along with his buddy Eric...need to clean out their desks!
RIP MR STEVENS>
@mikegino,
The assumption of your comments in using "we" lead to belief all of Americans are a state of bigotry and hatred? Let just take it as sarcasm.
The hope is your not part of the "we".
GooGooDolls Sept. 12, 2012 8:09 p.m.
I missed the event. Did he insult Las Vegas again today?
```````````
AW, you did not get invited too bad. Sounds like you are upset that you didn't get an invitation. Were your feelings hurt? I am sure he was searching for your face in the crowd. Hate to break it to you, but I don't think you will get invited to the next event either. Too bad.
Maybe you will get in an invite to the uber-rich guys event. You know the one who supports the war against women!
No, Las Vegas insults Las Vegas right????
For those who complained that Obama continued to campaign during this crisis - may I remind you that the Oval Office goes "with the President" when he travels. Air Force One not only is fully equipped with weapons, it has the best in high tech equipment on board, you know - computers, cell phones, direct line telephones, etc. My goodness, it even has toilets!! This job is 24/7, 365. Even IF your Messiah wins, he will have access to the same things when he goes and visits his rich billionaire supporters under the guise of "official business".
Obama again w/ the apology tour. An American diplomat hasnt been killed since 1979 when CARTER was president...The world sees weakness in Obama. FYI the crowds clearly on TV were in the thousands burning the American flag. Obama once again slow to react against the assasination of a US diplomat. We were ATTACKED ON 9/11 in Egypt & Lybia and Obama just thinks its because of a movie & says " we need to be sensitive to MuSlim's"....Being attacked on 9/11 again was a long planned thought out attack.....( this was planned way before any movie came out ) Obama is weak just like Carter & instills violence & gets more American's killed... Remember Obama is the brilliant community organizer who promised us he would lower the unemployment rate but he raised it and he promised us he would cut the deficit in half but added 6 trillion to it....... Obama biggest mistake in history...
I wonder if a certain super-pac funder is behind the movie that cause the problems???
Please be aware that a current political ad contains falsehoods. The ad being run now by Rove and his Crossroad PAC was edited down -- Here's the original context of Obama's quote, which he gave at a 2010 town hall in New Hampshire:
"You don't go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage," Obama said. "You don't blow a bunch of cash in Vegas when you're trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices. And it's time your government did the same."
Let's not be fooled by people who want to shock and scare tourism-dependent voters.
fox say Obama wins,,,,and they are fair and balanced