Grumpy Editor says imagine a U.S. president telling Americans to bypass a city and spend money elsewhere, yet visiting that city multiple times --- for fundraising toward his reelection.
That’s the case with Barack Obama who, again, routes Air Force One to Las Vegas this evening for tomorrow's fundraiser.
It’s part of a two-day stop in Nevada, a state hard hit by the souring economy. Today he is visiting Reno.
In his fifth visit to the Silver State since January, the president’s trip this time comes as Nevada’s unemployment rate edged up to 12 percent last month --- the highest rate in the nation.
(Michelle Obama has made three trips to the Las Vegas area over a three-month period this year to rally campaign supporters.)
The president tomorrow will be passing his hat in an area, dependent on tourist travel and conventions, after he fired two blasts at Las Vegas after he took office.
In a February, 2009 message directed at business gatherings, the president declared: “You can’t take a trip to Las Vegas or down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers dime.”
Then a year later, he warned: “You don’t blow a bunch of cash in Vegas when you’re trying to save for college.”
Las Vegas’ economy then turned south, with thousands of casino workers losing jobs, sending the area’s unemployment soaring.
Then Las Vegas soon rose to first place in U.S. home foreclosures.
Along with ranking tops in unemployment, Nevada also heads the list in bankruptcies and worst credit scores, finds a CardRatings.com survey.
In connection with tomorrow’s visit to a high school in North Las Vegas, a statement from the Obama campaign mentions that among topics the president --- in office for almost four years --- will focus on:
How to grow the economy.
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