My Five Pressing Obama Questions

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone knows that the press corps will be looking for some contrition, however manufactured and contorted, from President Obama when he arrives Thursday to "blow a bunch of (taxpayer) cash in Vegas." I'll be on the job for AOLNews.Com looking for that same thing until Obama leaves on Friday. Then I'll be on Nevada Week in Review to hash it all out on Friday night on PBS.

But I've got a few other questions. And here they are:

1. Will cell phone service work at Aria? The president will be speaking at noon to business leaders at the Pinyon Ballroom at Las Vegas' newest resort. I was at ARIA last week and still, two months along, I was having trouble getting emails in there. If they think Robin Leach and I are whiners, they better brace themselves for the backlash to come if 100+ political journalists from all over the world can't email, text or Tweet. This is CityCenter's close-up outside of the travel press. Fuck this up and it seals their already-impending doom. Speaking of which...

2. Why the hell is President Obama staying at...Bellagio? What does that say about the White House, Harry Reid and even MGM Mirage's opinion of the new place? Wasn't it supposed to be the ultimate? Lord knows he could have a floor to himself the way things are going over there. Bellagio doesn't need to PR. It's already kicking ARIA's ass.

3. Will Hizzoner swallow his pride and his olives? Will Oscar Goodman, defender and family friend to thugs and murderers but grudge-holder against gaffe-prone presidents, extend a gin-soaked hand to Obama and offer a martini summit? Or will he sit in the corner with his arms folded and then accept Fox News' invitation to explain why it IS a good idea for people to blow their college dough at the Vegas slots?

4. Green Valley High School for Friday morning's town hall? Really? Why do the rich kids always get the fun stuff? GVHS' band got to march in the Inaugural Parade and GVHS was also the scene of Hillary Clinton's first pro-Obama stumping in the summer of 2008 after the detente. I get that he wants to suck up to endangered first-term Democratic Rep. Dina Titus' district, but there ARE other high schools in Henderson.

5. Will Obama dare to actually be seen walking through the ARIA casino? That would be a first. No sitting U.S. president has ever been photographed walking through a casino. Then again, he shouldn't worry about anyone's photos coming out in there. The allegedly sunlit gaming parlor is like a cave.

Oh, sure there's more: Will Fox News think Gov. Jim Gibbons is credible enough to fill the aforementioned slot if Oscar Goodman sobers up in time? Who will Elaine Wynn take to the $30,000-a-head fundraiser Thursday at George Maloof's bachelor pad? What screwed up thing will Harry Reid say to ruin the whole she-bang? Will Titus curse after Harry Reid says something to ruin the whole she-bang? Will Review-Journal publisher Shermy Frederick write on Sunday about how his editorial board was dissed by Obama, citing the dates when prior presidents gave a shit what Shermy Frederick thought? Who's going to be the first unoriginal journo to use some variation on "What Happens Here Stays Here"? (Note to self: Forewarn AOLNews editors not to do so in my headline.)

I could go on and on, but the Olympics are on. Follow my exploits with Obama via Twitter tomorrow and Friday!