Thursday, May 28, 2009

WSOP 2009

It's finally that time of year again and in the Rio, Las Vegas, several thousand miles away from where I'm sitting, a bunch of casino employees are rifling chips and playing the first event of 2009 World Series of Poker.

Unfortunately work has been far too busy of late for me to get much poker in, but the first event of the WSOP always gets me excited.

It seems like some poker players arrivals were delayed somewhat today by the presence of one of the most famous airplanes in the world. It would appear that Barack Obama landed at McCarren airport today just in time for the first event of the WSOP.

Although I'd love to think he's here for tomorrows $40k NLHE event, it looks like he's in town on a bit of a fundraising mission for upcoming Democratic campaigns.

He may also drop by to see Oscar Goodman, the Mayor of Las Vegas after some comments he made about Vegas (and bankers):

"You can't get corporate jets. You can't go take a trip to Las Vegas or go down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers' dime. There's got to be some accountability and some responsibility.”

Somewhat ironic then that he should jet into Vegas on Air Force One, fully funded by the taxpayer of course, after making this comment. I'm sure I'm not the first (and certainly won't be the last) to point that out. To be perfectly fair to Obama, of whom I am a huge fan, how the hell else are you going to get to a city in the middle of the desert?

There is also news he's meeting with WSOP commissioner Jeffrey Pollack and a number of pros, which can only mean good things for the world of poker.