Obama set for high-profile Vegas fundraiser
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/05/26/art.vegas.gi.jpg caption="President Obama will be in Las Vegas Tuesday to headline a fundraising event for Harry Reid."](CNN) - President Obama is set for a night out in Las Vegas Tuesday, but his latest foray to the city of lights is entirely business related.
The president is slated to headline a fundraising event at Caesar's Palace for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the Nevada Democrat whose approval ratings back home have sunk below 40 percent as his re-election campaign gears up.
The star-studded event, set to raise at least $1 million for Reid's campaign coffers, will take place in Caesar's Coliseum - the 4,000 seat auditorium where singer Bette Midler regularly performs.
A Reid spokesman tells CNN that Midler is among the entertainers on hand for the evening, as well as Vegas performer Clint Holmes, comedienne Rita Rudner, and singers Sheryl Crow and Rachel Yamagata.
The fundraiser, during which Reid and Obama will speak, couldn't come at a better time for the Senate's top Democrat, who is considered among the most vulnerable in the chamber despite the fact Republicans are still scrambling to find a serious opponent to challenge him.
Despite the lack of official opposition, a Mason-Dixon survey released earlier this month suggests only about a third of Nevada's voters would vote to re-elect Reid to a fifth Senate term, while 45 percent said they would definitely vote for another candidate.
Meanwhile, conservative political action committee Our Country Deserves Better is already gunning to capitalize on Reid's sagging poll numbers, launching what they call a "a television, radio, and Internet advertising blitz throughout the state of Nevada reminding voters that Harry Reid has stiffed taxpayers with huge government bailouts and wasteful pork-barrel spending."
The conservative PAC said it would spend over $100,000 in its initial ad campaign, and pledged to dish out over $1 million between now and the November 2010 midterm elections.
"Republicans were successful in defeating Sen. Reid's predecessor, Tom Daschle, in 2004," said CNN Political Editor Mark Preston. "They have now focusing their efforts on trying to defeat another Democratic leader in the next election."
Obama plans to remain in Nevada Wednesday for a visit to Nellis Air Force Base for a tour of the facility's solar electric plant, the largest in North America. The president then heads to Beverly Hills for a pair of fundraisers sponsored by the Democratic National Committee.
–CNN's Ed Henry, Shawna Shepherd and Mark Preston contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
- Student athlete urges Supreme Court to keep West Virginia's anti-trans sports ban on hold
- 10 Cards Charging 0% Interest Until 2024
- American citizen held hostage for 6 years in West Africa has been freed
- Biden to award 2021 National Humanities medals and National Medal of the Arts at White House ceremony
- Trial in one of E. Jean Carroll's rape defamation cases against Trump is delayed
- Supreme Court urged by DOJ and other parties to sidestep independent state legislature dispute
I'm sure he will get a very warm welcome, now that he has taken away a good portion of thier economy. Do you think he will gamble away more of the taxpayers $$$$$$$.
Pardon me, but hasn't every president had airforce one to use at will since there was an airforce one? It's one of the perks. They all take advantage of it. Morons. At least he's not using it to fly down to his ranch in Texas and take a month off. Have a nice day!
I hope Harry does well in his race, but sure would like to see someone else in charge at the Senate. Reid and Pelosi are both less than what is needed for the positions they hold. Neither is a leader, or seems to be able to speak clearly, bravely, and with facts when they are asked a question. Nancy is a downright liability to the party as speaker (not as a representative of her district) and Reid is just too old and wimpy to be a real 'leader'. And we need some real talent in those roles.
obama is sooooooooo busy spending money, that we don't have. You would think that this dingbat has more important things to do with his time. Like help RAISE MONEY for all of the US citizens, that are losing their jobs and their homes every day. Oh thats right that's someone elses problem.
it's ok for the dems but not for any other american
Yeah, keep Harry Reid front and center along with Speaker Pelosi. These two greedy liberal democrats will help Republicans significantly in both 2010 and 2012.
It's ironic that Obama is helping Harry Reid raise money.
The GOP has a problem with everything the Dems do. When will they get it – there are less than them now for a reason. Keep going – I am sure the dems could handle a few more seats........
Alvino, Sorry to interrupt your acid trip, but Reid is a Democrat. Perhaps you should study up on current affairs.
I think Senator Reid needs to grow a pair. I would like him a lot more if he were more aggressive. We Nevadans have a total loser governor and a GOP Senator that always votes with his party so if Reid were ousted, I hope another Democrat will take his place.
Gov. Gibbons even refused to meet with Obama because he wants an apology due from an Obama comment about bailout companies sending employees on expensive vacations etc. and he mentioned Las Vegas as one of the destinations. He's a complete dork and once elected, the "happy" husband quickly got divorced. Oye.
I tend to agree with Billy..."I hope Harry does well in his race, but sure would like to see someone else in charge at the Senate. Reid and Pelosi are both less than what is needed for the positions they hold. Neither is a leader, or seems to be able to speak clearly, bravely, and with facts when they are asked a question. Nancy is a downright liability to the party as speaker (not as a representative of her district) and Reid is just too old and wimpy to be a real 'leader'. And we need some real talent in those roles"
I would not TRUST ANYONE IN VEGAS! Too many mafia people consume the wrong people into their scemes. BE CAREFUL!!!
Why do all taxpayers have to pay thousands of dollars for this trip?
Hey right wing nuts-
I was referring to the most clueless Senator Ensign.
Obama needs to pick a better member of the DNC. Reid is a burden to the party.
@marcus May 26th, 2009 5:03 pm ET
wheres my comments.
republicans are protesting
that president obama is not a U>S CITIZEN in las vegas
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yes, well marcus, lots of people in the United States aren't very smart. Just try to read your post.
There is so much hate and vitrol in this topic – and a majority of it from the other party.
You guys need to get over it.
Swallow your sour grapes and be quiet.
Reid, along with Pelosi, eh, sorry, I can't defend either of them, they just aren't any good. But I can say this:
The sad truth is, At their best, they are by far the worst democrats we have ever seen in the history of the party. But at their worst, they are 100 times better then the best republican alive (only made possible now that Powell has been told he's not republican).
Tom Paine May 26th, 2009 4:57 pm ET
Golf yesterday, Vegas today? Get to work already.
***
lol - He's making history!
Companies can't spend taxpayer money on trips to LV, but Obama can!!
why not meet at yuca mt. that way we might get some value for our taxes ,, ... talk about pork ,,,the biggest waste of money ever ...............reid is the poster boy for pork .. and waste...
I'm a bit disappointed to see Obama do this sort of partisan fundraiser event. I would rather see him working on some of the huge challenges that his administration is facing. For instance, I want to see the Obama administration do more to address severe global poverty. The Borgen Project has good info on the estimated cost of ending global poverty:
$30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.
$550 billion: U.S. Defense budget.
So let's get it straight. It is not ok for corporate America to spend taxpayer dollars forced upon them in an effort to gain control over them on junkets to sin city, but it is ok for elected politicians to spend taxpayer dollars on junkets to sin city?
Change you can believe in, if your are a fool.
Nice... so private corporations are discouraged from jetting off to Vegas for "meetings" if they are to be responsible corporations, regardless of bailout status, yet our esteemed President and his government friends can and we expect to see them as responsible? I can't believe I'm paying for this... especially after he scolded the evil corporations! Wonder who will look evil now? Apparently not the government or this President, since CNN didn't even bother mentioning the irony in this trip. Nice job, CNN. Way to be unbiased. Does anybody really go to Vegas on an "entirely business related" trip? *rolls eyes*
Have a nice trip President Obama!
I guess Obama is a do as I say, not as I do kind of guy. He said corporate America shouldn't go, but hey, it's ok for him.