The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently released photos of Thursday's White House event during which Spokane Mayor Mary Verner was picked by President Obama to ask a question.

In an interview Thursday evening, Verner said other topics she had hoped to ask about, such as stimilus money to cities and strategies to get banks loaning money to businesses that would create jobs already were asked by other mayors by the time Obama picked her.

She said the question about trade to China was one she originally hoped to ask Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who addressed the group earlier. But Geithner didn't call on her.

More photos from the event, which were taken by Wendy Wilkerson, a staff photographer for the mayors' group, are available here.

---

---