I am trying to figure out .... the president .... so many mixed signals..........
President Barack Obama enjoys poker and blackjack, and admires the way the gaming industry powers Nevada's economy.
But in his home state, it's a different story. As a matter of principle, he repeatedly opposed expanding gambling in Illinois, saying it was bad for communities and not a good way to fund government.
As recently as 2003, Obama, then an Illinois state senator, said he believed the "moral and social cost of gambling" was potentially "devastating" and that using gaming as a source of revenue or for economic development was "irresponsible."
He didn't think Illinois legislators should accept political contributions from the gaming industry, and in 2004 and 2006 refused federal contributions from gaming companies.
Today, it's a different story: He was the U.S. Senate's No. 10 recipient of gaming donations, backed in Nevada by such industry insiders as Billy Vassiliadis and Elaine Wynn, and actively seeking the support of the gaming-dependent Culinary union.
