Las Vegas has made a fortune off its sly slogan, the one suggesting what happens in Vegas stays in the famously — hmmm, how to put it? — open-minded city. But getting people to Vegas hasn’t been so easy of late, what with the lousy economy.
And it didn’t help when President Obama took a shot at the desert playground, making an offhand banker-bashing remark that seemed to tie Las Vegas to corporate excess.
("You can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer’s dime," Obama said in some February banker-basing in Indiana, campaigning for his economic stimulus plan amid widespread bailout fatigue. Indiana in February; now there's a resort destination.)
The governor of Nevada, Republican Jim Gibbons, and the mayor of Las Vegas, Democrat Oscar Goodman, pitched a fit.
Gibbons claimed the comment cost the city a stunning, if unverifiable, $100 million in lost business. Goodman demanded an apology.
Obama complied, sort of.
During a May visit -- with temperatures creeping into the 90s as he hit the city to raise millions for Harry Reid and visit an Air Force base -- the president allowed as how “there’s nothing like a quick trip to Vegas in the middle of the week.”
That, however, failed to mollify Goodman. Worse, word began to reach Nevada of an unofficial policy that seemed to make Vegas verboten for bureaucratic getaways.
So Nevada’s Democratic Sen. Harry Reid — the Senate Majority Leader and, thus, a crucial Obama ally — recently dashed off a note to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, complaining that the FBI, General Services Administration (Reid called it the General Services Agency) and Bureau of Indian Affairs had all apparently relocated gatherings once destined for Las Vegas.
True enough, Reid said, the city has “a well-earned reputation as a world-class dining and entertainment destination.” But there’s also plenty of reasonably priced (presumably mundane, distraction-free) convention space and an average nightly room rate of $98, “which is far lower than most ... major convention cities,” Reid said.
“It is my view that travel decisions made by federal agencies should be based upon these considerations,” the senator wrote.
This week came back the reply from Emanuel: Viva Las Vegas!
The federal government has no business forbidding government meetings and conferences from taking place in communities “known for attracting vacationers,” Emanuel wrote. “For me, the test of government travel is what will be accomplished by that travel and whether the cost to the government is reasonable as opposed to other options.”
No word on how the "what happens/stays" formulation might be affected by the federal Freedom of Information Act.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggerwas scheduled to appear in Nevada today to celebrate the extension of the California High Speed Rail Corridor to Las Vegas. But there were 29,000 IOUs between him and a Sin City trip.
Instead, Caltrans Director Will Kemptonexplained Schwarzenegger’s absence to a group sweating under a white canopy downtown. "There’s something about a budget crisis in Sacramento. ... Believe me, he’d rather be in Las Vegas," Kempton said.
Wondering what he missed? Here’s a rundown: The corridor extension should help Southern California-to-Vegas rail projects secure government loans. Two have been competing for, in particular, the backing of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid(D-Nev.): a somewhat troubled project, which would link to Anaheim, and the DesertXpress, a high-speed train to Victorville. (Yes, that’s the housing-crunched Inland Empire city where a developer recently bulldozed homes.)
Today, Reid -- joined by U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood-- reiterated his support for DesertXpress, which is privately financed, closer to breaking ground and backed by Sig Rogich, a Republican heavyweight who’s supporting Reid’s reelection efforts.
California’s Governator also missed the view from downtown Vegas: a concrete truck, homes with barred windows, a rent-by-the-month motel and a bail bonds shop. Almost made Sacramento seem delightful. Almost.
A poll published Sunday in the Las Vegas Review-Journal showed his favorable rating plunging from 53% in May to 39%. Ouch.
Almost two-thirds of Nevadans polled, however, said the Republican senator should not resign. And even after a week of stories about his resignation from a Senate GOP leadership post, his mistress' pay doubling during the affair and the woman's husband begging Fox News to expose the relationship, Ensign still remains more popular than several prominent Nevada politicians.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s favorable rating: 34%. Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons: 10%.
Keep in mind, though, that it's unlikely the Ensign scandal has petered out. Questions remain about Cynthia and her husband Doug Hampton’sdeparture from Ensign’s offices -- including a reported severance payment to Cynthia Hampton from Ensign’s own pocket -- and why Ensign helped Doug Hampton land two jobs afterward.
Another thing to ponder, courtesy of blogger and alt-weekly editor Steve Sebelius: If this scandal got muddy enough that Ensign resigned, Nevada law allows Gibbons to appoint a replacement. “And further what the state Constitution doesn’t appear to prohibit?” Sebelius writes. “It doesn’t appear to prohibit the governor from appointing himself to the vacant Senate seat!”
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman -- former mob lawyer, Bombay Sapphire pitchman and self-proclaimed "Happiest Mayor on Earth" -- will be termed out in 2011.
His next role: Gov. Goodman?
The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported last week that Goodman is mulling an independent bid -- and has consulted none other than former Minnesota Gov. Jesse "The Body" Ventura (the Happiest Pro Wrestler-Turned-Governor On Earth).
As with many things -- including telling youngsters that, were he stranded on an island, he’d want a bottle of gin -- Goodman’s seriousness is hard to determine. He’s publicly talked about a gubernatorial bid for months and even suggested that his wife, Carolyn, take over his old office at City Hall. (It’s unclear whether she would keep the faux horse’s head.)
Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons is so unpopular that he’s already drawn two primary challengers. And the Democrats expected to run -- Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley and Rory Reid, Clark County commissioner and son of the U.S. Senate majority leader — might cannibalize each other before the general election.
But Goodman has never mounted a statewide campaign. And does he truly want to 1) move from Sin City to Carson City and 2) oversee a potentially vicious budget war during the next legislative session?
One of the tricks of politics is reading between the lines. So, ever helpful, the Ticket will now help you do just that.
Here’s a news release put out this week by the campaign of Sen. Harry Reid, who is seeking reelection in Nevada. Our handy explainers appear in bold and, appropriately, between the lines.
LAS VEGAS [6/03/09] -- Even though the election won't be held until a year and a half from now, nearly 60 prominent Nevadans have joined forces to create "Republicans for Reid."
[The GOP has yet to draft a credible opponent to take on the Senate majority leader. Think of this release as a warning from Harry to those mulling a challenge. ]
The group's co-chairs are longtime Republican operative and George H.W. Bush advisor Sig Rogich, and Sparks Mayor Geno Martini.
"I think that at this time in Nevada, a time when our state is faced with perhaps its greatest economic challenge, we are fortunate to have Harry Reid as our senior Senator. As a lifelong Republican and one who worked closely with former Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush, I am proud to set partisanship aside and do what is vital for our state during these extraordinarily difficult times," said Sig Rogich.
[Others are also eschewing party labels for Reid: Notably, Dawn Gibbons, a former stateassemblywoman and estranged wife of Gov. Jim Gibbons, whom Rogich helped win office.]
"From preserving Lake Tahoe to fighting to protect our gaming and tourist industry from those who would want a greater Federal role in our largest industry, Harry Reid has been tireless. The Senate Majority Leader has never forgotten his roots and has worked tirelessly to fight for Nevada's future," Rogich continued.
"I am happy that so many of Nevada's prominent Republican leaders have already signed onto this campaign," said Reid. "These leaders know that I continually work across party lines to help Nevada's families. I greatly appreciate their support and look forward to working with them as this campaign begins."
[Other Nevadans who Harry hopes might read this: John Chachas (R-banker) and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki (R-indicted).
Republicans for Reid is a group of prominent Republicans who have publicly endorsed Sen. Reid. Sen. Reid and his campaign will continue to reach out to Republicans all across Nevada to join Republicans for Reid. Today's launch marks the beginning of what will be a growing effort throughout the campaign. The current list of Republicans for Reid is below in alphabetical order.
[If you're into lists, continue reading below for a who's who of gaming execs and Nevada political players. But be warned: It's just a list. ]
While Californians plot their next moves in the battle over gay marriage, activists in Nevada are struggling to secure rights for domestic partners.
Despite their libertarian leanings, Nevada voters twice backed a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. But the Legislature recently passed a bill that bestows domestic partners – gay and straight – with essentially the same rights as married couples. Republican Gov. Jim Gibbonsvetoed the bill -- saying only voters should grant marriage-like rights to unmarried couples – and it’s unclear whether the bill’s supporters can round up enough votes to override it.
But the bill has some powerful backers -- the state’s gaming companies, which are sometimes referred to as Nevada’s Fourth Estate, who are alarmed that, if it fails, LGBT tourists might boycott the Strip.
In the early '90s, gay-rights supporters called for a boycott of Colorado after voters approved a ban on anti-discrimination laws protecting gays and lesbians. Officials said the state lost millions of dollars in convention business. In a recent letter to Nevada lawmakers, Jan Jones, senior vice president of Harrah’s Entertainment, pointedly said the financially ailing state couldn’t afford “to lose any more revenue to other destinations because of a reputation as a place which is not socially or politically the right place to do business or to vacation.”
And MGM Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman recently told The Advocate, a leading gay publication: “We make a very real, concerted effort on a lot of these issues, and to have the sense that you're fighting against your own state is very frustrating.”
Another of the bill's supporters, incidentally, is someone who knows both the downs and the ups of marriage: Dawn Gibbons, the governor's estranged wife.
-- Ashley Powers
Top photo: Las Vegas' iconic welcome sign. Credit: Associated Press. Bottom photo: Jim Gibbons. Credit: Associated Press
Presiding from his throne-like chair in a City Hall office stuffed with more Vegas trinkets than a casino gift shop, Mayor Oscar Goodman held court this afternoon on the Democratic president's remarks about his city, as posted on The Ticket earlier.
Goodman, who acts as subtly as his notoriously understated city, was disappointed that Obama didn't say the "magic words" -- Las Vegas is a great place for conventions!
(Nor did either suggest: When your meetings are done, stay for the weekend. Gamble some. Buy a $200 bottle of Grey Goose. I've heard that what happens here, stays here ...)
The mayor did concede the president demonstrated the Strip's value as a business destination.
"He took a break, came to Las Vegas and he did serious business," Goodman told reporters. And raised serious millions for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at Caesars Palace, as also described here this morning.
Last weekend, Goodman said, he got a phone call from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel indicating the president would seek to soothe any hurt civic feelings.
Unlike Nevada's Republican governor, Jim Gibbons, Goodman accepted Obama's invitation to greet him at the airport Tuesday. "It would have been rude and disrespectful of me ... to decline an invitation from the president," the mayor said.
Goodman said he reminded Obama twice on Tuesday to champion the tourist destination. If Obama had asked Goodman today how he did, "I would have said ... you ran 95 yards and you ran out of gas."
After the 10-minute press conference, a reporter suggested that Goodman might have been more successful had he greeted Obama with a showgirl on each arm.
Caesars Palace gavePresident 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.
Of course, everyone remembers several episodes of economic outrage ago when Democratic President Barack Obama was so outraged that TARPed bankers would think they could go to Las Vegas on taxpayer money.
And Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman got all angry in a civic booster kind of how-dare-you-way. And so did Nevada's Gov. Jim Gibbons. Who's a Republican, btw.
Well, it turns out, as noted by ubiquitous Nevada journalist Jon Ralston, the White House has now offered Gibbons a place in the row of dignitaries offering Obama obeissance and welcoming handshakes at the Las Vegas airport Tuesday afternoon.
And now the governor, who says he wants an apology and a retraction of the TARP comment, can't find room in his schedule for such a useless gesture amid the taxiing jetliners in the hot desert winds.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY, GOVERNOR?"
"I SAID, 'WE REALLY NEED THE TOURISM BUSINESS HERE IN NEVADA, MR. PRESIDENT!'"
We publish many transcripts and speech texts here so that Ticket readers can get both our take and the actual words in proper context. This speech by President Obama is 8 days old. But it's of interest because he is now going out on the road as Fundraiser in Chief of his Democratic Party and its numerous candidates.
Tomorrow Obama takes his personal 747 all the way out to naughty Las Vegas, where he said bankers shouldn't go and party on taxpayer funds. And there the president will speak at a big fundraiser for the re-election campaign of Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid. The next day Obama visits Los Angeles to do a Democratic National Committee fundraiser. (Do you suppose bankers are allowed to excursion there?)
You'd think Reid would be in good shape politically after four terms. There's no clear Republican opponent. And HR already has about $3.3 million in the bank before tomorrow's rake-in at Caesars Palace (see photo above) with Bette and Sheryl and the crowd, as The Ticket reported here previously.
But polls show way more Nevadans dislike Reid than like him. Which is a problem at election time. Which is still 17 months off.
And no one wants to be Daschled like the last Senate Democratic Majority Leader was in 2004 when voters back home saw him being all partisan on TV and suspected maybe their old pal wasn't investing full time in Dakota doings. You know, getting a little too big for his britches back East.
So we thought we'd share the full text of one of the president's most recent fundraising speeches, to give you a little feel for what the glitz-crowd will have to pay big bucks to hear on The Strip.
-- Andrew Malcolm
Remarks by President Obama at a Keep Indiana Blue Fundraiser, Indianapolis, May 17, 2009
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Indiana! (Applause.) It's good to see you guys. It's good to see you. Hello, hello, hello! (Applause.) It is good to be here. (Applause.) And it's a pleasure to be with your outstanding representatives in Congress -- Andre Carson, Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth, Baron Hill -- give it up for these outstanding members of Congress. (Applause.) We're here to make sure they can stay right where they belong: in the United States Congress, representing your hopes, representing your dreams, carrying your voices to Washington, D.C. (Applause.)
It's good to be back in Indiana. (Applause.) We spent a little time in Indiana. It reminds me of why I like getting out of Washington so much. People are friendly. (Laughter.) It brings back a lot of memories from all those days out here on the campaign trail.
So I want to start out tonight by saying thank you -- thank you to all of you here in Indiana. (Applause.) I know that I'm here tonight because of you, and folks like you across this country who made ...
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Our Bloggers
Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the Countdown to Crawford blog here at The Times.
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