Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Nevada’s Governor Declines Obama Photo Op

Good for him for sticking up for his state. 

Nevada’s Republican governor has turned down an invitation from the White House to briefly greet President Obama when he visits the state tomorrow for a Democratic fundraising event, citing comments the president made earlier this year calling on companies that received taxpayer-funded bailouts to avoid wasting money on luxuries like company planes and Vegas vacations.

“While I appreciate the offer, I am not interested in a handshake and a hello from President Obama, I am interested in an apology and plan to undo the damage the President did,” Gov. Jim Gibbons said in a Monday statement.

He again called on Obama to publicly promote Nevada tourism, and to apologize for his remark that business leaders receiving money from the government “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,” blaming the president for the recent cancellation of hundreds of conventions and other meetings originally scheduled to take place in Las Vegas, and the loss of more than $100 million in revenue.

(4) Comments
Posted by Owen at 0648 hrs
Politics + Politics - General

  1. What a whiner! Should companies accepting millions and millions in bailout money from the government, money without which they would be out on the street, and then turn around and spend it on Vegas trips for executives?

    The reason that tourism and conventions are down is because of the recession, not because businesses hang on every word from Obama.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 26, 2009 at 0958 hrs


  2. I agree the guy has a legit beef. Still it is better to meet with the President when he comes so that you can hopefully put a face with a name when he calls.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 26, 2009 at 1110 hrs


  3. This, of course, coming from a governor whose approval rating lingers in the low 20’s and has more or less been an embarrassment to his state since his election in 2006.  Shall we talk about the bribery investigation first?  Or should we start with the undocumented nanny, or the shady land deals, or the sexual assault allegations?

    Obama offering to appear with this guy is political charity.  If he’s too dumb to recognize that, fine.  Gibbons will be out of work in 18 months anyway.

    Posted by Recess Supervisor on May 26, 2009 at 1126 hrs


  4. You’d think that the social conservatives would be happy that fewer people head to Vegas, the closest thing we have to Sodom and Gomorrah. I guess I just lost my place on the Gibbons Christmas card list.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 26, 2009 at 1257 hrs


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