Some community leaders say Goodman overreacted to Obama’s latest Las Vegas comment
Residents and community leaders upset by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman’s angry statements about President Barack Obama said they would welcome Obama to the city, even if Goodman won’t.
At a news conference today at City Hall Katherine Duncan, president of the Las Vegas Ward Five Chamber of Commerce, Assemblyman Harvey Munford, D-Las Vegas, and several residents said Goodman overreacted to Obama’s statement Tuesday in New Hampshire warning people not to “blow cash in Vegas when you’re trying to save for college.”
Shortly after Obama’s speech Goodman and many other Nevada politicians immediately criticized Obama, saying he shouldn’t discourage Las Vegas visitation, especially when the Nevada economy is in shambles.
Goodman went so far as to say he wouldn’t welcome Obama during a presidential visit planned around Feb. 18. “We want to offer an open invitation to our president,” Duncan said. “We want to offer our sincere apologies on behalf of our mayor.”
The news conference came the day after a community meeting during which Goodman stormed out following a racially charged exchange with a resident. Witnesses said the exchange was over school integration and Goodman’s role in the black community. At the meeting there were also fliers denouncing Goodman’s Obama comments and urging residents to express their discontent at City Hall the next day.
Goodman wouldn’t answer questions after the meeting.
He was seen storming out of the event saying “I’m not going to be called a racist.” When asked by a reporter what happened Goodman said “find out in there.”
Duncan said she didn’t think Goodman’s Obama outburst was racist or racially motivated. But she did say “it shows the mayor’s lack of sensitivity to our people and our neighborhoods.”
Some black residents say Goodman went overboard in criticizing Obama.
Resident Mike Marks, 60, said Obama’s use of Las Vegas “is just an analogy, like ‘don’t put the cart before the horse.’ ”
Goodman’s outburst directed at America’s first black president tapped into general discontent with city government among some black Las Vegas residents, particularly in the largely black West Side community in Ward 5.
“I have always been a fan and supporter of Oscar Goodman,” Marks said. “But right now I wouldn’t vote for him for dog catcher.”
Goodman responded to Duncan and the others through City of Las Vegas Communications Director David Riggleman who wrote "He feels if the demonstration today is a measure of the outrage in West Las Vegas, the poor turnout, where members of the news media equaled the protesters, speaks for itself."
Contact Review-Journal reporter Benjamin Spillman at bspillman@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3861.
