For the last time, Obama does not owe Las Vegas an apology

Enough already. It's past time to stop the misguided sobbing about whether President Barack Obama showed enough affection for Las Vegas during this week's visit.

Mayor Oscar Goodman and Gov. Jim Gibbons, two men who I'm guessing agree on almost nothing, declared their disappointment that America's commander in chief and the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD didn't take time out to apologize for a perceived slight upon our fair city. Never mind that Obama had nothing to apologize for. (In the wake of the multibillion-dollar federal bailout Obama said, "You can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayer's dime.")

Goodman played the comment for all its populist worth, then took time Tuesday to shake hands with Obama at McCarran International Airport.

Gibbons was not as gracious. Like some dissed diva from the silent-film era, Gibbons declared he was offended that the president couldn't find time on his agenda to meet with an enormously unpopular governor who not only bats for the opposing party but went out of his way to blast the federal stimulus program before agreeing to accept the fiscal windfall.

But by Wednesday even the governor, who displays a staggering opacity when it comes to the appreciation of political perceptions, seemed to soften the nonsense at a Review-Journal editorial board meeting. At one point Gibbons acknowledged that Obama's focus on the success of the solar energy program at Nellis Air Force Base brings the world's attention to what is happening in Nevada. "It's the perfect thing for us economically to say to the world, come look at Nevada. If you're interested in solar, come look at Nevada."

While Obama didn't apologize, he did dish up a dandy one-liner: "There's nothing like a quick trip to Vegas in the middle of the week."

You know, I thought I saw R&R Partners ad man and Obama supporter Billy Vassiliadis taking notes.

NEVADA PATRIOT: Astute observers of the president's Nellis appearance surely noticed an interesting character in the crowd of military personnel and Democrats.

Not far from Rep. Shelley Berkley, Rep. Dina Titus, County Commissioners Rory Reid and Tom Collins, Secretary of State Ross Miller, state Treasurer Kate Marshall, state Controller Kim Wallin, and Vassiliadis, sat veteran Nevada GOP official Joe Brown.

No, Brown hasn't changed parties. The retired member of the U.S. Marine Reserve is a founder of the Nevada Patriot Fund, a nonprofit group he helped form in 2003 that assists the families of military personnel killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I'm loyal opposition," Brown said later, laughing.

Brown, also a lobbyist, was headed to Carson City for the 2003 session of the Legislature when he read in the Review-Journal about Nevada service personnel from Sparks and Tonopah who had been killed. He met with Jerry Bussell, then the state's head of Homeland Security, and decided to do something to help the families.

Working the Legislature's hallways, Brown rounded up about $60,000 in pledges in 30 minutes. (That beats the record of most veteran legislators.) These days, the Patriot Fund issues $12,000 checks to surviving spouses to help tide families over until insurance issues are settled.

To learn more about the fund: nevadapatriotfund.org.

COMMUNITY CRISIS: Just a few weeks ago Community Bancorp President Edward Jamison calmly informed me that the company was in excellent shape, all things considered, and that the fact it hadn't yet filed its proper documents with the Securities and Exchange Commission was no cause for alarm.

"We can't dispel every rumor," Jamison said. "All we can do is perform and move forward. ... We're facing challenges, but we feel pretty good about where we're going."

It's probably safe to assume Community Bank is no longer feeling so confident. Earlier this week, sources told me auditors had converged on several Community Bank branches.

On Wednesday, Community Bank in Nevada signed an agreement with federal and state entities to limit its land and commercial real estate loans and improve its loan policies and practices.

That's no rumor.

It makes me wonder whether Jamison still feels pretty good about the company. It also makes me wonder whether the bank's top officials received bonuses during a time their operation was in crisis.

ON THE BOULEVARD: Intriguing remembrances continue to come in about Black Book member Frank Masterana, who died recently in the Dominican Republic, the family's friends tell me. He was 80.

John L. Smith's column appears Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. E-mail him at Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.