Biden Pulls Rank

Chris Field | November 18, 2009 12:52 PM

Even though leaders of bankrupt, taxpayer-backed businesses are not supposed to go to Las Vegas and "waste" taxpayers' money, Vice President Joe Biden had no problem pulling rank to finagle his way onto a members-only golf course in Vegas.

For those who don't know, Biden is vice president of a bankrupt, taxpayer-backed organization that actually is wasting taxpayers' money.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Norm Clarke reported this today:

Sometimes you make exceptions at a members-only golf club.

Especially if someone from the office of Vice President Joe Biden is on the telephone, calling back a second time with a more pointed request.

It happened Sunday morning at The Golf Club at South Shore, at Lake Las Vegas.

When the first call came in at 7 a.m., asking whether Biden could play the course, the PGA professional running the pro shop declined, citing the club's members-only policy.

A few minutes later, another call: a Biden staffer telling the club pro "you know the vice president would really like to play" and asked whether he could talk to a manager.

The club reversed its stand, and Biden arrived about 11 a.m. with a half-dozen Secret Service personnel.

"We came to our senses, out of courtesy of the position," said Mark Barrett, with a chuckle. He's the club's membership sales director.

Biden's visit "really created a buzz," said Barrett, a welcome boost after recent tough times at Lake Las Vegas.

Biden played 17 holes before heading to a fundraiser for Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev.