Obama takes another dig at Las Vegas

President Barack Obama took another dig at Las Vegas at his New Hampshire town hall Tuesday after similar remarks got him into hot water last year.

Obama said that people should not "blow a bunch of cash in Vegas" during a tough recession. Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman called for Obama to apologize after he made comparable comments last February.

"When times are tough, you tighten your belts," he said at the forum." 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."

The president targeted Las Vegas last Feburary at a town hall in Elkhart, Ind. when he was asked about corporate responsibility.

"You can't get corporate jets. You can't go take that trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers' dime," he said.

Goodman fired back, saying "That's outrageous. He owes us an apology. He owes us a retraction."

The mayor later withdrew his apology demand but remained unhappy about the comment.

Obama will also travel to Nevada this month to campaign for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D), who hails from the Silver State.

Goodman last year said that Las Vegas, which plays host to many business conferences and conventions, had suffered under the recession like many other areas of the country.

"There’s no question that we’re feeling the impact of it today, and as far as living in Las Vegas, this has a debilitating effect on our economy," Goodman said.

"We can promote what we’re famous for, but it has nothing at all to do with the fact that you can have a serious meeting here in Las Vegas," he added.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs later clarified that Obama meant to target banks and other firms that received federal bailout funds. Gibbs said that the president believes in a strong tourism industry. 

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