Democratic circles are abuzz with excitement about Nevada’s caucus, and people are starting to think that the state party’s early estimate — recently repeated by Sen. Harry Reid — of 100,000 people might just be possible.Except now, Nevada’s senior senator is dialing down expectations.
“I don’t know how many will show up,” he said this afternoon at a local event promoting this summer’s Democratic National Convention in Denver. “Tens of thousands.”
When reminded he had recently pushed out the 100,000 number recently, he again demurred. “That was a number I threw out.”
On a more upbeat tone, he told an audience of hard-core activists hearing about the party’s convention that Nevada’s caucus would be a “blockbuster.”
“How much more interesting can this be,” he said. “I don’t know who’s on offense. I don’t know who’s on defense. But it’s going to be a great game Saturday.”
And that, of course, would be a week from Saturday, Jan. 19.
Education officials and activists are joining lawmakers in a chorus of protests to proposed budget cuts. Will Governor Gibbons opt to dip into the Rainy Day fund rather than implement cuts of almost five percent? Jon talks with experts about options ranging from a lawsuit against the state to a recall effort aimed at Gibbons.
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It’s decision day at 1630 S. Commerce St.
Culinary members are filing into the union’s large hall wearing red sweatshirts that read: “CAUCUS 2008: Make the Las Vegas Dream the American Dream.” About 30 minutes ago (11 a.m.) Culinary Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor was on KNPR neither confirming nor denying reports that the Culinary’s parent Unite Here settled on Obama. Still, this report makes things clear:
Press release makes it official, citing Obama’s background as community organizer, his support on the picket line in Chicago and his support of the Las Vegas union’s contract negotiations.
Rep. Shelley Berkley announced her endorsement of Sen. Hillary Clinton this morning, praising the former first lady’s positions on Yucca Mountain, health care, veterans, the economy and just about everything else.
Up to now, Berkley has preached neutrality along with Sen. Harry Reid (although his son, Clark County Commission Chairman Rory Reid heads Clinton’s campaign office.)
Berkley said she made her mind up just before Iowa, because people everywhere - during trips to Costco and at events, she mentioned - wanted to know who she supported.
She only took 3 questions in the 20 minute conference call. The first was a smart one from the RJ’s Erin Neff about a possible rift between the Democratic establishment - going for Clinton - and the Culinary - expected to go with Obama. Berkley said they will all be on the same page come November to get the Democratic nominee elected.
The others dealt with Hispanic issues and the economy.
By Tim Pratt, Las Vegas Sun
Nevada’s newly-created Hispanic Republican Assembly is hosting a bangin’
event tonight (Wednesday Jan. 9) at Ricardo’s Mexican restaurant, 4930 W. Flamingo Road, that is unlikely to be
repeated this political season: a “whack the donkey” pinata pre-caucus
mixer.
Sen. John Ensign and Gov. Jim Gibbons are listed as “honorary guests.” No word on whether that entitles them to honorary first whacks.
The 5:30-7:30 p.m. event costs $20 per person.
Ending a tortured process that unveiled infighting within its ranks, the Service Employees International Union Nevada tonight endorsed Sen. Barack Obama. Former Sen. John Edwards also was in the running, and Sen. Hillary Clinton was broadly dismissed.
More details in my story in the Sun Wednesday morning.
Hillary Clinton and John McCain pulled off an early election comeback Tuesday night as they respectively won the Democratic and Republican nods in New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary. Sen. Clinton, who was coming off a third-place finish in Iowa, rebounded to defeat Sen. Barack Obama with 39 percent of the vote with 96 percent precincts reporting, according to CNN. Obama finished with 37 percent, while John Edwards finished third with 17 percent.
On the Republican side, McCain — whose campaign had nearly collapsed over the summer — also enjoyed a resurgence, holding off rival Mitt Romney with a 37 to 32 percent advantage with 95 percent of the precincts in. Iowa caucus winner, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee took third with 11 percent.
“We showed this country what a real comeback looks like,” the Arizona senator told The Associated Press.
Clinton was just as exuberant: “I felt like we all spoke from our hearts and I am so gratified that you responded,” she said in victory remarks before cheering supporters. “Now together, let’s give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me.”
The candidates will get that opportunity next in Michigan on Jan. 15 — four days before the Democratic race heads west when Nevada holds its early caucus on Jan. 19.
With Unite Here’s executive committee set to vote via conference call on its presidential endorsement this evening, the John Edwards campaign is sending signals the endorsement, which carries the Culinary brand name here, won’t be going its way.
Edwards’ Nevada campaign sent out an e-mail a few minutes ago with the following subject line, culled from this Associated Press report: “Still unclear was how the Culinary’s delay would affect its organizing on the ground.”
The e-mail also points out another piece of the story: that the union’s San Francisco affiliate endorsed Edwards.
NASHUA, H.H. — The turnout in New Hampshire is widely reported to be through the roof, with an on-the-record quote out of the Secretary of State’s office attesting to that fact.
I got a taste of it in Ward 5 in Concord at the Green Street Community Center. There was nearly 50 percent turnout with two and half hours of voting to and a bunch of absentee ballots to process. For a primary election, that’s significant turnout. A couple hundred people also registered. (There were about 3300 voters in the ward when the day began.)
Some choice quotes:
Burton Nault, who voted for McCain because, “I’m a Yankee and not a socialist.”
Rose Gray, who voted for Obama because “I like him as a whole person.”
Ann O’Connell, who took a bus from Webster, Mass., to volunteer for Clinton. Of Obama, this tough-as-nails woman said: “He’s not ready, and we need ready.”
Joe Dwyer, a young guy who works for an architecture firm, took a 33-hour bus ride to volunteer for Rep. Ron Paul, the Republicans’ libertarian candidate.
Now, it’s the waiting game.
One of Nevada’s largest unions – the Service Employees International Union – has scheduled a conference call with its executive board to discuss a potential presidential endorsement tonight at 8:30 p.m., according to several board members.
The union represents 17,500 healthcare and public sector workers in Nevada and decided last week to wait for the results of today’s New Hampshire primary to endorse, board members said.
Some expect the local’s leadership to push for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. He won the first-in-the-nation Iowa caucus Thursday and was leading in polls during the run-up to today’s primary in New Hampshire.
If a decision is reached – and there’s no guarantee one will be – it would come around the same time as a decision by the Culinary Union and parent UNITE HERE, who are also scheduled to discuss an endorsement tonight.
If both go for Obama, it would be a tremendous boost for his campaign here.
In recent years, the SEIU has been considered a politically powerful player in Nevada politics, but the endorsement process has been a messy for the union. Check out this Sun story about the process, and this one about how the union’s internal struggles might have an impact on its endorsement
