Obama Vegas comments draw protests

President Obama used Las Vegas as a bad example of where to spend money again, this time drawing universal protests from Nevada's governor and congressional delegation.

The President told a New Hampshire town hall meeting: "When times are tough, you tighten your belts. You don't go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage. You don't blow a bunch of cash in Vegas when you're trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices and It's time your government did the same."

"How dare he insult any American city," said Gov. Jim Gibbons. "It's absolutely inappropriate that once again he has singled out Nevada. It's critical to the recovery of our economy that a President, who's words are taken so seriously tone down his words."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nv., said he too issued a protest to the comments.

"I just spoke to the White House and told them that while the President is correct that people saving for college need to be fiscally responsible, the President needs to lay off Las Vegas and stop making it the poster child for where people shouldn't be spending their money," he said in a statement.

Saying Nevada's economy depends on visitors to Las Vegas, Reid said, "I would much rather tourists and business travelers spend their money in Las Vegas than spend it overseas."

Fellow Democrat, Rep. Shelley Berkley of Las Vegas issued a similar statement saying enough is enough.

"President Obama needs to stop picking on Las Vegas," she said.

Berkley said this is the second time Obama has singled out Las Vegas. The first was a comment he made discouraging major corporations from what he described as wasting money by holding conventions in Las Vegas while accepting bail-out cash.

Republican congressman Dean Heller also joined the protest saying it isn't the first time Obama has used Las Vegas as a political punch-line.

"At the same time the President tells people not to come to Las Vegas, he has no problems coming to our state to raise money."

Gibbons made the same point in his statement on the remarks.

Obama responded to Reid with a letter saying he didn't intend anything negative about Las Vegas.

"I was making the simple point that families use vacation dollars, not tuition money, to have fun," he said. "There is no place better to have fun than Vegas, one of our country's great destinations."