Las Vegas Mayor: Obama Should Apologize To Us

LAS VEGAS — Sin City's mayor wants President Barack Obama to apologize for saying companies shouldn't visit Las Vegas on the taxpayer's dime.

Oscar Goodman spoke after a regular scheduled meeting with tourism officials where he expressed concern that federal lawmakers might be discouraging travel to the city.

"What's a better place, as I say, than for them to come here," Goodman told KLAS-TV. "And to change their mind and to go someplace else and to cancel _ and at the suggestion of the president of the United States _ that's outrageous."

Obama made the remarks Monday during a town hall meeting in Elkhart, Ind., where the president traveled to muster public support for economic stimulus legislation.

"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," Obama said.

A White House spokesman said it was looking into the mayor's comments and did not have immediate comment.

Goodman said Obama's remarks at the town hall meeting were unwarranted.

"That's outrageous, and he owes us an apology," he said. "He owes us a retraction."

Las Vegas tourism officials worry that increased scrutiny on business travel will discourage meetings and conventions _ business that would be crucial for the city already suffering economically. The number of visitors to Las Vegas was down 4.4 percent in 2008 compared with a year earlier, and visits in December alone declined nearly 11 percent.

Late Monday, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said it had moved a three-day conference from the Las Vegas Strip to San Francisco amid what the bank called a broad review of its activities. Goldman Sachs has accepted $10 billion in federal bailout funds.

Last week, Wells Fargo & Co., which received a $25 billion infusion, canceled a planned employee recognition conference in Las Vegas after an AP story reported on the trip and the bank received criticism from Capitol Hill that it was misusing the funds.

Comments

[daniINDY]

Oscar Goodman is a non-issue. He cherry-picked Obama's comments to suite his agenda.... Getting into the media spotlight in which he succeeded.

[BarackstarObama]

Now he only wants the president to elaborate on what he meant.... we all know what Obama meant, CEOs shouldn't spend the taxpayers money to spoil themselves, period.

[trinidadgirl]

What's with all these guys that they are so flipping petty.
Ok..he apologises and then what? Fellahs, please cut the gig and stop vying for high visibility!

[rosal]

Mr Mayor: Our President did not say don't visit Vegas, what he said was "On the tax payers's dime". He is absolutely correct. They want to go to Vegas? Go, and let the CEO's pay the trip out of their bonusses. Why should we pay for your entertainment? We don't care how much the casinos gave for your election, the tax payers own nothing to you, or the casinos. End of story.

[Birdman]

Obviously this guy needs a periscope to see where he is going his head is in a location that normal site cannot be accomplished. Obama should not apologize because he is right CEO's should not be traveling with my money, least of all to go party in Vegas. This numbskull needs to get over it, too bad he thinks it was a dig at his city it was not, it was a dig at Executives spending taxpayer’s money in FRIVILOUS manner too bad intelligent people got the meaning. It is pretty sad that someone in a position of power doesn't understand the meaning or the intent of the message.

[AbeMartin]

One of Oscar's clients was Tony (the Ant) Spilotro, who you may remember from the movie Casino, was buried alive. Oscar has been a pretty effective mayor but ultimately is a mob lawyer who once took one thug's Rolls Royce in lieu of a cash payment.

He is in no position to demand an apology from anyone let alone the President of the United States.

[kas70]

I am reminded of that line from Mulan:

"The mountain cannot bow to the wind no matter how much it howls."

[DS3M]

Shut this loser up and give him a real job, then we can talk about the cost of a vegas vacation, and whether American Tax Payers should foot the bill for a private party.

[heather65]

in a side note, the mayor also complained that water is wet.

[Coinyer101]

stoopid mayor. stick it in yer ear!

[dudervision]

To paraphrase, What's said by the mayor in Vegas...STAYS IN VEGAS!

WHO REALLY CARES!

[lagumbo]

Goodman has been put up to this by the TALIBAN PARTY [GOP]. I would bet my house on that. What does the GOP stands for , lies put out and then tell them over and over again . Keep spinning their yarn. This is a TALIBAN PARTY [GOP] propergander piece, and it won't work because the american people don't find the TALIBAN PARTY[GOP] revelent anymore.

[MalloMel]

"it won't work because the american people don't find the TALIBAN PARTY[GOP] revelent anymore."

Don't be so sure about that. Almost all of the people who are losing their jobs, will vote Republican again. And, so it goes on, and on and on...

[MalloMel]

Correction:

"Almost all of the Republicans who are losing their jobs, will vote Republican again. And, so it goes on, and on and on...

[LauraD]

He doesn't owe you an apology, Mayor, because he didn't slight you.

He was absolutely correct in calling out businesses who are planning getaways on taxpayer money. Sorry if that hurts your revenues. Welcome to the club.

[lobear00]

this is why the media needs to have their "Licenses " suspended, for their propaganda agenda of "Lying and misleading the american people.

[rwt1138]

It's just a stunt. Goodman is a publicity hound.

[concernvoter]

The president do not owe the mayor of Las Vegas an apology.