While the mayor and the governor grumbled, President Obama used his star power to win back casino and gaming workers upset with remarks he had made about Las Vegas.

President Obama made a visit to Las Vegas this week to fix political wounds suffered when he commented against the convention and gambling town as the precise way from teetering companies to spend stimulus money. Casino operators, always awed by celebrity, forgave the President immediately, saying no harm was meant.

However, political leaders from the gambling state weren't so quick to just accept the President's appearance as a possibility to near ranks. After Obama's departure, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman noted the Preseident never "said the magic words," while Governor Jim Gibbons refused a call for participation to speak about thoughts with Obama on the airport.

The Preseident appeared at a fundraising event for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, an established crony of the state gaming industry who faces a difficult re-election campaign.

Caesar's Palace boasted that Obama had chosen to stick in a single in their top suites, an improbable 22,000 square foot palace complete with private pool overlooking the Las Vegas Strip.

Many within the casino and gambling industry, by far the state's largest employer, noted bitterly how Obama decried executives taking luxurious Vegas trips on American taxpayer dollars. They wonder how his stay at Caesar's is all that different.

"My company comes here since the convention facilities are the most efficient on the planet. After we are here, we stay two to a room within the discount rooming, working all of the time," said Vegas visitor Tom Owings. "Maybe it might be different if I had an individual pool."

Published on May 30, 2009 by VirginiaMaddox

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