A vicious populist backlash has ensued against Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman after he proclaimed that President Barack Obama was not welcome in the city.
Goodman’s angry comments stemmed from a statement Obama made to the people of New Hampshire Tuesday not to “blow cash on Vegas when you’re trying to save for college.”
Goodman and other Nevada politicians bitterly complained about the statement, saying the president should not dissuade potential vacationers from visiting the Sin City — especially since the state of Nevada is mired in a grave economic turmoil.
After his statements, Goodman said he would not welcome Obama into the city during a planned presidential visit on Feb. 18. Conversely, other city leaders, including Vegas Ward Five Chamber of Commerce president Katherine Duncan, said Goodman overreacted to Obama’s statement. “We want to offer an open invitation to our president,” Duncan said. “We want to offer our sincere apologies on behalf of our mayor.”
Duncan and other city leaders urged residents to voice their displeasure with Mayor Goodman’s stance against the president when city hall opens Monday morning.
–terry shropshire
