Poll : 23 March - 05 April 2016

Analysis

Obviously, we were having a little fun with this survey, but (as usual) we received a heap of thoughtful responses. Here are some of them:

• "Any of these people would be a complete train wreck. Running a casino is not the same as being President of the United States."
  
  
• "I voted for Steve Wynn. like the guy!"
  
  
• "Jackie Gaughan always seemed like an honest and straightforward person who was very business savvy and cared about his people."
  
  
• "I could have said Sam Boyd but I just haven't been able to completely forgive him for destroying the Stardust. Besides, this year I am hoping for a lady President and the list is missing a single female. Where is Debbie Reynolds? That is my vote 'Debbie for President'. As I understand it she tried very hard to keep her casino afloat, always giving of herself to make her customers happy. I miss her. Thank You for a fun QOD!"
  
  
• "Other: Moe Dalitz of Desert Inn fame! He may have been a crook, but he was also a philanthropist who understood that he could 'get his' and still make sure 'the people' got something of value too."
  
  
• "Howard Hughes, because of his business experience. This was a tough choice over Bob Stupak, who would be very very active."
  
  
• "Jack binion--the best--knows how to run things and get people to do what he needs."
  
  
• "I voted for Benny Binion because I think he was someone with common sense, which the world seems in short supply of at this time. I think he would be fair with everyone to the best of his ability. Also he was one of the big supporters of the National Finals Rodeo coming to Las Vegas. He was more like an old time cowboy, which I admire."
  
  
• "Stupak without a doubt. Perhaps the ballsiest of the bunch, who marched to his own tune and wasn't scared to 'think out of the box.' Sometimes way out... Perhaps Bob would not be much of a leader, but he had a big heart, never forgot his roots, and would definitely be entertaining."
  
  
• "Steve Wynn always has a plan. The man changed a desert parking lot into the best resort in the world. Steve Wynn has vision." [Ed: That might be considered a poor choice of phrase, given his diminished eyesight, but we get where you're coming from ;-) ]
  
  
• "I chose Bob Stupak. Knowing what Vegas World was like, to see that same design in the Oval Office would be both awesome and cringe-worthy. The main reason I'd vote for Stupak is because I know he'd push to legalize gambling in all 50 states - something this country needs to have happen. Stupak would push to make sports betting legal, knowing how huge the revenue would be for the country and each state, instead of seeing close to 100% of it done offshore or illegally, for which the US gets nothing."
  
  
• "Mr. Stevens has been instrumental in resurrecting Fremont Street, and appears to know how to have a good time. Perhaps if he was to inhabit the Oval Office he could hold a weekly fireside Sigma Derby race!"
  
  
• "Benny Binion: First of all he was from Texas; second he had trouble & did 'pen' time; but most of all he knew how to treat his customers. Weird, but I believe he would make a benevolent PREZ."
  
  
• "Bugsy Siegel - If we're going to elect a bare-knuckle-brawling thug President, let's do it right."
  
  
• "I voted for Howard Hughes because he was nuts. As president he'd probably spend his term shuffling around the White House with Kleenex boxes on his feet and talking to himself in isolation. No more spending billions to bomb another country and then billions more to rebuild the country we bombed, all while our country falls apart. So that would be a marked improvement!"
  
  
• "I don't know much about Benny Binion, but from what I hear, he liked to give people their money's worth (which we're not getting right now from Congress!) and he cared about the 'little guys' who came to his casino to gamble their hard-earned money."
  
  
• "The country needs a businessman to run it to erase the debt. I would choose Steve over Donald because he would do better in the arena of foreign relations." [Ed: You think? He upset the Chinese somewhat lately in a fit of personal pique and had to smooth that over pronto... ]
  
  
• "While the list of casino owners are/were smart business men just like Donald J. Trump...that DOES NOT make them presidential material. NO to "Trump"!!!"
  
  
• "Lefty Rosenthal: Would apply math, management skills, and muscle to the government, especially the economy."
  
  
• "Jackie Gaughan had the common touch, freely mingled with his constituency and if something needed doing (like delivering a coupon book), he'd see that it got done, even if that mean doing it himself."
  
  
• "Just because a person is successful as a businessman does not mean that person would be a successful statesman. I would not vote for any of these people."
  
  
• "Dennis Hof, although is not a casino owner or operator, he has done a great job in Nevada and bringing some respect to the brothel industry. Think of what he has done for that industry and what he could do for the USA as president. He has already played in politics and if Jesse Ventura and Arnold Swartzenager can be elected, so can Dennis."
  
  
• "Kerkorian was a problem solver and he was always looking forward. Plus it wasn't all about him."