Caesars gives Obama a room upgrade since he's president now
Caesars Palace gave President Obama a room upgrade Tuesday night, putting him in one of its special high-roller suites, despite the Democrat's denunciation last January of business excursions to Las Vegas on taxpayer money.
Obama revealed the upgrade to the crowd as a sign of his importance since his last visit before becoming president. "Thanks, Caesars," he said according to some at the reception. Obama spoke at a fundraiser for Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who says he needs $25 million to win a fifth term next year, although he does not yet have any viable Republican opponents.
Even without a GOP opponent, the Our Country Deserves Better PAC has launched ads against Reid, whose recent poll numbers look bad for an incumbent.
With Obama, Sheryl Crow and Bette Midler on the evening's marquee, Reid expected to haul in about $2 million, giving him $5.3 million so far.
Meanwhile back at the ranch in Denver, Vice President Joe Biden brought in an unannounced sum for the Democratic National Committee. The DNC will sponsor tonight's soiree with Obama at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, where Obama might get double miles if he plays his presidential hand right.
Reid told an exclusive special reception, "This man is extremely smart, he can communicate, but the best part of Barack Obama is his heart is bigger than any heart in the world."
"We need to keep Harry Reid exactly where he belongs," Obama told the enthusiastic main crowd, which had paid at least $250 to attend. Those paying $29,500 got an actual presidential handshake.
Obama, who praised his Supreme Court nominee and his own stimulus spending plans, thanked crowd members for their past support that provided the opportunity to change the country's politics.
"I think it's fair to say," Obama told the 4,000 or so attendees, "that over these past four months we've done a pretty good job of seizing the opportunity."
Exactly how the $2 million evening with President Obama represented change from Sen. Obama's $750-million presidential campaign was unclear. But the crowd applauded anyway.
To help make the trip cost not 100% political, this morning Obama will visit a battery plant and hold a town hall before leaving for L.A. and then an overnight flight back to Washington.
-- Andrew Malcolm
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Top photo: Sen. Harry Reid greets President Obama at the airport. Credit: Jim Watson / AFP/Getty Bottom photo: Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Gee, that's lawful nice of them. Does that include the breakfast buffet?
Posted by: Arie Bakker | May 27, 2009 at 02:19 AM
what a hypocrit. he works for a bankrupt, fraud ridden organization that tops AIG and others. he should not be in Vegas......Baby.
Posted by: Pom Pom Girl | May 27, 2009 at 03:50 AM
Hoovervilles Once Again?
After the stock market crash in 1929 (brought on by overvalued stock prices as well as real estate) the US government reacted by raising taxes to balance the federal budget and raising protectionist tariffs to protect US jobs from foreign competitors. The end result of these twin actions was that the US economy shrunk by 2/3's and the rest of the worlds economy suffered as well.
In the campaign debates during the election process Obama refused to pledge to not raise taxes if elected president and later in the campaign offered an 800 billion dollar total tax increase. Even if you personally are not going to get a tax increase those who employ you or the services of your company will and there will be a cause and effect. Of course, he has pledged to protect union jobs and American workers by suggesting they would scrap the NAFTA trade agreement and a number of eerily 1920's similar protectionist moves.
We don't need pre Depression era economic policies kicking into place in an already concerned world economic marketplace. When then President, Herbert Hoover, pushed for and got such damaging policies in place, the resulting homeowner displacement to shanty towns were named Homerville's after his policies as well as the end result.
Talk to one of your depression era relatives or read up on the Great Depression and let Obama know that tax increases and protectionist trade tariffs are not the way to go. Do so before we coin the phrase Obamaville, or you may just find yourself living in one.
Posted by: Pom Pom Girl | May 27, 2009 at 04:03 AM
Big heart? Perhaps. But Nobama seems to be lacking in the common sense department!
Posted by: madrussian | May 27, 2009 at 06:31 AM
Harry Reid is so out of touch with regular Americans, he HAS to stay in Congress. He would suffer "sticker shock" if he left Washington. He really is an ignoramous.
Posted by: Gloria Steinberg | May 27, 2009 at 07:17 AM
The North Koreans and the Iranians are yanking everyone's chains and this guy is raising money for Mortimer Reid. Sweet.
Posted by: Larry | May 27, 2009 at 08:08 AM
All Politicians suck - they have no interest in the people just their own misguided desires. Look at what the stiumulus did, hurt the country even further.
No incentives for business, thus no hiring or even reduced layoffs.
The energy policy drove succesful car manufacturers out of business and no one wants a little car - it will kill their families.
Reid is the worst and Neveda deserves what it gets with him.
Posted by: TXBigDog | May 27, 2009 at 09:01 AM
Reid is one of the worst that government has to offer.
He's like many others in Washington that think they are beyond reproach, smarter than everyone and offering NOTHING but a single minded approach to helping themselves to anything and everything they can get their grubby hands on...$$$$$$/power
And the dumb asses in Nevada keep voting him in. Wake up!!!
I dare you to name something important he's done... can't think of anything can ya!
Posted by: Joe Kells | May 27, 2009 at 09:32 AM
Obama may have the biggest heart in the world, but apparently he also has the smallest brain.
Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right Harry?
Posted by: BarbaraS | May 27, 2009 at 11:15 AM
The ugly comments on this discussion reveal the ugliness of the people behind the posts. What a shame.
Posted by: Theo | May 28, 2009 at 09:36 AM