President Obama May Offer Mea Culpa

The White House tells Fox's Wendell Goler that the President may address his past remarks about Las Vegas while in town today, offering a mea culpa of sorts after ruffling the feathers of state and local leaders.

At a townhall event in Nashua, NH several weeks ago, Mr. Obama told the audience, "You don't blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you're trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices."

Those remarks echoed a statement from the President last February, and his comments sparked backlash from Nevada's governor and the mayor of Las Vegas.   Mayor Oscar Goodman has called for an apology, and declined a White House invitation to greet Mr. Obama on the tarmac Thursday.

Goodman and others charge that the President's public warnings against travel to Vegas have hurt a tourism industry that's already suffering.  Mr. Obama has already been forced to mend fences with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who will accompany him today.  The White House indicates that the President will address the criticism surrounding his comments at some point today, most likely at his afternoon speech to the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce.  Mayor Goodman and Senator Reid are expected to attend.