Las Vegas Weekly

May 12, 2009 · 7:36 AM

Obama’s Good Fight in Las Vegas includes superstar lineup

By Robin Leach

Barack Obama takes the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts to become the 44th president of the United States at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

Photo: Jae C. Hong/The Associated Press

Back in February, President Barack Obama infuriated Mayor Oscar Goodman, hotel tycoon Steve Wynn and a slew of other Vegas VIPs when he said: “You can’t get corporate jets, you can’t go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers’ dime.”

Obama’s lambasting of our desert kingdom caused a massive set of convention cancellations, and even our politicos Harry Reid, John Ensign and Shelley Berkeley had to come to the rescue and get the hard anti-Las Vegas tone softened!

Now the commander in chief is headed here. Caesars Palace headliner Bette Midler and singer Sheryl Crow will headline an all-star fundraiser for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid here the day after Memorial Day -- May 26 at The Colosseum. Obama stayed twice at Caesars during his campaign for the presidency, once in the suite talk show titan Oprah Winfrey occupied while she taped shows here last year.

Photo: Audrey Dempsey

Bette Midler with her Nevada Ballet Theater Woman of the Year Award on Jan. 17, 2009.

The fundraiser, titled “The Good Fight” after Harry’s new autobiographical book -- is a high-priced ticket! A couple going backstage to meet the president, the politicians and the personalities will pay $4,800, or $2,400 if you go solo. However, Ticketmaster will be selling upper-tier seats at The Colosseum for just $50. Vegas DeLuxe will report on additional star names as celebrities are added to the show.

Obama critics, pointing out the $357,012 bill footed by taxpayers for the Statue of Liberty photo op of Air Force One, are demanding that he reimburse taxpayers for the trip to and from Las Vegas! Oscar told me he wants Obama to go on the record while he’s here that vacations in Las Vegas are a good thing for the economy!

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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