Obama plans Las Vegas getaway to help Harry Reid get big money

Harry Reid's no slouch in the fundraising department, with $3.3 million already on hand for next year's reelection campaign, which has thus far drawn lots of press too.

And no viable opponent from the state's battered Republican Party.

Still, in politics these days you can never have too much money, as someone showed last fall by raising $750 million, which is even more than those outrageous AIG bonuses. Now Happy Harry's bringing in Bette. And Sheryl. And some guy named Barack.

All in the name of Money.

And what better way for a new Democratic administration to symbolize cutting out excess in a time of hardship for millions of Americans than to hold a mega-fundraiser in Las Vegas, that urban personification of understatement, for a guy with millions in hand already and no one to spend it against?

Though the Democratic Senate majority leader's May 26 fundraiser at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace will feature Strip headliner Midler and songstress Crow, the biggest draw will be the commander in chief himself.

Nevada's glitterati have been clamoring for a visit since Obama turned the swing state blue, though we suspect the president might want to steer clear of some parts of town.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman is still huffing and puffing over an offhand remark in which Obama appeared to link Sin City to corporate excess. Imagine that.

Remember back in February, The Ticket had a photo of the mayor meeting with nearly naked aides and reported the even newer president was all agitated over luxury bank excursions and 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."

Well, now that they have finished the $357,012 taxpayer-funded photo op over the Statue of Liberty, Air Force One is coming to the capital of neon with the somewhat-less-new president, who'll become the fundraiser in chief at least for a night.

Goodman recently said that, during Obama's trip, he's hoping "somebody places me close to him so I can get him to do the right thing and tell people that he recognizes Las Vegas as a great spot for serious meetings."

And last month, Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons requested a meeting with the president to talk about the state's ailing economy. Kind of. 

A separate press release indicated the beleaguered governor isn't exactly angling for a spot on the VIP list.

-- Ashley Powers

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Photos, from top: Bally's Hotel; Associated Press

Comments

[Pom Pom Girl]

This is bad but not anywhere near as bad as their 13th & 14th Amendment Votes!

In 1865, Congressed passed the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery. 100% of the House Republicans voted for it. 78% of the House Democrats voted against it and 71% of the independents voted for it. In the Senate, 100% of the Republicans voted for it, 62% of the Democrats voted against it and 83% of the independents voted for it. Republicans in Congress passed a series of seven bills designed to enforce civil rights being denied to blacks in the South.
The 14th Amendment, passed in 1868, was designed in ensure that African-Americans would enjoy all the rights and privileges granted to citizens of the State or the Nation. State Legislatures in the South, mostly controlled by Democrats, refused to ratify either amendment. When the ratification vote for the 14th Amendment did finally come, 96% of the Republicans in the House voted for it. 100% of the House Democrats voted against it. 91% of the third party House members voted for it. In the Senate, 94% of the Republicans voted for it. 100% of the Democrats voted against it. 50% of the third party Senators voted for it.

Other than through voting for welfare and abortion, how the heck did the Republicans lose Southern African Americans, let alone any, to the Democrats?

[drjohn]

Kim Priestap observed that Obama 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."

I can you can if you're Obama. None of that "shared sacrifice" nonsense for Barack!

[Jim]

But "he won."

[Pattieb]

Somebody better frisk Obama before he hits the tables WITH OUR MONEY!!!

[joe biden senior]

Leave the "teleorator" alone.
He needs to get away from DC.
His attempts at running GM, Chrysler, etc., his attempts this weekend at comedy, his recent " I apologize for America's" wordwide tour...these are exhausting and the messiah needs some rest.

[Jason Sanborn]

Harry Reid has done a great job and deserves to return as Majority Leader. The Seanate has been a better place since he took over. Fianlly we are putting Bush Opression behind us.

[KC]

It's pretty bad when the LA Times is busting out Obama fro showing his true colors as a hypocrite

[Anne]

Obama has the Hollywood liberal's disease. "There are rules for you, and then there are rules for me (because I'm so important).

[joesixpack]

Once more, here is king barry talking down from his ivory (or does it have to be ebony? I don't want to get in trouble) throne - telling us "do as i say not as i do".

his ego surpasses shrillary, slick willy, carter, and sharpton combined.

[Mad Techie]

Do as I say not as I do.

More hypocrisy and as always, he'll be given a pass because he's just so damn "competent." (ie. not Republican).

[Jack Dempsey]

Obama, Reid and the Democrats are hypocrites. Businesses that supply jobs should not have any Vegas junkets, but politics is everything to them. Hope they all get STDs.

[rufus]

HOW IS IT LEGAL TO SPEND GOVERNMENT TAXPAYER MONEY FOR THE PRESIDENT TO MAKE A PURE POLITICAL FUND RAISING TRIP FOR A CANDIDATE WITHOUT THE FULL AMOUNT OF THE TRIP BEING RECOGNIZED AS A CONTRIBUTION IN LIEU OF CASH...AND IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PERMITTED TO MAKE SUCH EXPENDITURES, AND IF SO, WHO AUDITS THESE NON-GOVERNMENTAL, FUNDS RAISING JOBS? IS THIS LIKE RENTING OUT THE LINCOLN BEDROOM.....FLYING POTUS AROUND IN AFONE TO VISIT CITIES WITH CANDIDATES WANTING TO SOLICIT FUNDS?

HOW CAN THIS BE LEGAL....NO MATTER HOW LONG IT HAS BEEN GOING ON....WHERE ARE THESE COSTS BUDGETED?

[LV Stagehand]

Obama can go beg somewhere else.

He cost Las Vegas $10 Million dollars in lost corporate shows and events thanks to his little comment. This cost many AV companies, catering firms, and hotels jobs thanks to that little stunt.

Mr. Obama should not receive a dime from us, and neither should Mr. Reid.

[Darrel]

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."

UNLESS OF COURSE YOU ARE THE HYPOCRITE IN CHIEF, THE LYING ARROGANT TELEPROMPTER READING BANKRUPT YOUR CHILDREN potus.

[judithod]

The usual from Obama--"Do what I say, not as I do."
The man is the ultimate in duplicity

[Kathryn (click for No RINOs petition)]

Don't you know: When Obama parties and his friends party with him, it's different than when the little people party.

Remember, there's the ruling class (Obama and his followers) and there's everyone else (us, the masses).

[anti-bama]

Obama says "do as I say, not as I do." What a really big mistake this country has made

[DUGinFLA]

C'mon, who's really surprised? Would somebody please blow the whistle and announce "Adult Swim"?

[Howie Feltersnatch]

The nomenklatura.

[Myze]

Obama is definately consistent in his wording 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."

He ABSOLUTELY never said that he can't, he said that you CAN'T. For Obama it is YES I can.

[Lukuj]

No surprise here. Obama exempts himself from the standards he holds up for others. I want to see how loud the media screams about this junket, if it will be condemened the way the junkets of other CEOs have been.

[Sean]

Nice hypocrisy. A bigger deficit than all previous administrations combined and he flies all over world. Oh, I forgot, its all Bush's fault. The Bush/devil made me do it!

It reminds me of the commy party in Soviet era had access to all kinds of things the common man was denied.

Meanwhile, all of his vocal critics will get the media sicked on them. You know the trained seals at the NY times, Wash Post, CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, LA times, MSNBC, etc. Forget about all that, Fox news criticizes him so lets talk about how much we hate them.

[Jerry Mac]

This Nevada resident would prefer to vote for a dead carcass than Harry Reid. This imbecile has done nothing for the State of Nevada.

[Disgusted]

Why doesn't Obama just hold a bunch of fund-raisers to balance the budget? He raised and spent almost a billion to buy the presidency, he should be able to raise a few billion more to put the economy back on track. We need serious, serious campaign finance reform NOW including a cap on spending and a time limit on campaigning.

[Annie66]

Let me guess, this junket will be on the taxpayer's dime, right? This little foray fits right in with the $100/lb steak, European party for 500+, Good Friday pizza party, private schools, full-time personal beautician, $350K photo ops, $540 shoes, and crowing about the joys of personal assistants. And here I though he was preaching at all citizens to 'sacrifice' and 'tighten our belts.' All of this excess sounds to me like a CEO with 'obscene profits.' Obama is the biggest hypocrite ever to enter the American political arena and he is utterly repugnant.