Rude or right on? Las Vegas mayor rejects invitation to meet with Obama

KTNV reports:

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) – Mayor Oscar Goodman has refused an invitation to meet with President Obama when he arrives in town on Thursday. Mayor Goodman called President Obama a slow learner after he told Americans not to blow money on a weekend in Las Vegas if they were saving to put their kids through college.

“I’ve got other things to do quite frankly for my constituents here in Las Vegas who rely on me to do the right thing as a mayor,” explained Mayor Goodman.

Mayor Goodman has more important things like attend budget meetings during a major shortfall than meet with President Barack Obama when he visits Las Vegas Friday. That rejection comes even though he’s invited by the White House.

“Were you surprised to get that invitation in light of comments you’ve made before and your opinion on him and what he says,” asked Action News reporter Heather Klein.

“A little bit in the sense I would think they would know that I would say I’m not coming,” said Mayor Goodman.

They say time heals all wounds but not this time. Mayor Goodman is not backing down after the president used Las Vegas the example of where not to go if you’re saving money.

This is strike two for the mayor.

“We are hurting, we have people in foreclosures, we have people having a hard time feeding their families and we can’t stand to have a flippant statement made,” said Mayor Goodman.

“I haven’t heard an apology, I haven’t heard a response, all I do is get invitations,” Goodman went on to say.

I can understand the mayor’s irritation with Obama’s repeat remarks on Vegas (essentially, the President has poorly and “stupidly” worded his remarks regarding Americans and the need for them to “tighten their belts”), which irked many a Nevada politico, including Senator Harry “Rah Rah” Reid. But should the mayor let bygones be bygones and finally meet up with our celebrity President for what will probably amount into nothing more than a photo op? I have to admit if there had been a mayor who refused to meet with President Bush, I’d have probably been irked, but then again I don’t recall Bush disparaging any particular city during his two terms in the WH. If a mayor refused to meet with Bush it was likely due to petty political differences.

The floor is yours …

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