Party with Obama And Reid In Vegas
By Nichole Barnes
BeatReid.com
Friday, May 22, 2009
As we have all heard, president Barack Obama is due to go on the campaign trail in support of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Las Vegas Sun Article.
As a life-long Democrat, I voted for Obama for what I believe to be the best of reasons. And I still support the president in his mission to rebuild this country. But as an almost life-long resident of Nevada, I simply cannot stand Harry Reid.
Harry Reid and Barack Obama seem utterly antonymous in their repective modus operandi. Obama has conducted his presidency in almost complete and total transparency while Reid is the king of subterfuge and shady practices. His flip-flopping on the E-Verify issue, manipulating Arlen Specter, possible influence in the Brian Krolicki misappropriations charge are all recent examples.
It’s clear, then, why the president is supporting Reid. Admittedly I find it frustrating when a president’s obligation to the party, and maintaining its power in Washington prevails over his obligation to do what’s right for the American people. But Harry Reid is the Majority Leader of the Senate, and a fellow Democrat with Barack Obama, and therefore wields considerable eminence.
It has been hypothesized that Barack Obama will try to make amends for his recent comment equating Las Vegas to wastefulness and excess. Or, actually, corporate wastefulness on the American taxpayer’s dime through federal bail-out money. Let’s take a look at the comment: “You can’t get corporate jets, you can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers dime.” Am I really meant to believe that president Obama was telling the average American not to blow his or her children’s college fund at the craps table? Sorry, but excoriating avaricious corporate big-shots for lavish expenditures was and is eminently appropriate in these trying economic times.
Needless to say, I would love to be there when the fireworks kick off on May 26th. The event promises to be grand, in a scale only possible in Las Vegas. Barack Obama, Harry Reid and a program of super-star entertainers (Sheryl Crowe, Bette Midler and Rachel Yamagata) will light up the stage at the Caesar’s Palace Colosseum. (Click here to get tickets. I do find it exhilarating that the link to Ticketmaster doesn’t work from there. Hopefully people will think twice before supporting Harry Reid’s campaign by going to a tempting event like this. Charge-backs anyone?). Thousands will be in attendance complete with a gang of GOP protesters brandishing American flags and shouting cadences of conservative political rhetoric. Whew… I wonder if Michael Buffer will be there to kick the whole thing off.
And I would love to be in there cheering on the president and singing along with Sheryl Crowe. Instead, I will be supporting the movement to oust Harry Reid with a group of demonstrators outside the Caesar’s Palace Colosseum along South Las Vegas Blvd. My goal is to bring awareness to Harry Reid’s failed policies in Nevada and at the same time let everyone know what an incredible place Las Vegas is. Perhaps Barack Obama’s comments did result in some lost revenue in the casinos and all-you-can-eat buffets, but how can something like that be quantified? Did anyone ever consider whether a poor economy with double digit unemployment could be responsible? It’s a bit ridiculous to blame slumping sales on the strip on a single comment.
I know the difference between partisan politics and true, issue-based debate and governance. That is why I support the Beat Reid Movement’s unified front against Harry Reid, and strongly encourage everyone to come together and vote Harry Reid out of office!
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