President Barack Obama steps off Air Force One as he arrives at McCarran International Airport on Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, in Las Vegas to give remarks at the National Clean Energy Summit 8.0.
Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015 | 12:05 a.m.
President Barack Obama took a whirlwind tour through Las Vegas on Monday, making stops at the Strip and in Henderson before settling in for the night at Lake Las Vegas.
After arriving on Air Force One at McCarran International Airport at 4:21 p.m., the president was greeted by Gov. Brian Sandoval, Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman and Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak.
Sandoval joined Obama in his motorcade for a private chat about keeping the greater sage grouse from being listed as an endangered species
A quick 10-minute drive from the airport down the 215 Beltway and up Interstate 15 led the motorcade to Mandalay Bay, where Obama spent 27 minutes speaking to 1,000 people gathered at the National Clean Energy Summit.
"Clean power from the sun is cheaper than conventional power from the utility,” he said. “It is impossible to overstate what this means."
From there, it was back to the motorcade, which included nearly a dozen vehicles for staff, security and the press. The procession zipped down the 215 Beltway — traffic on the route throughout the trip was blocked off by a Metro Police escort — before arriving at the Henderson home of Las Vegas Sun owner and publisher Brian Greenspun.
Obama spent about 40 minutes mingling with about 100 attendees at a fundraiser for the Nevada State Democratic Party and former Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, a Democrat running for Harry Reid's Senate seat.
During a 14-minute speech, Obama said he was feeling "refreshed, renewed, recharged and a little feisty" after a recent presidential vacation.
He praised Reid and Masto, who were both in the crowd.
"Catherine Cortez Masto has already shown leadership in this state," Obama said. "She has been a tireless advocate ... she's the kind of person with a track record of integrity."
The president's trip ended with one final drive out to Lake Las Vegas, where his traveling party stayed for the night at the Westin resort.
He is scheduled to leave Las Vegas Tuesday at 10:10 a.m.
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