Behind Nevada casino walls is a political fight

[Joanne98]

Source: Reuters

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) - A key back-room battle in the contest to nominate a Democratic presidential candidate is raging far from the gaze of TV cameras in places like the workers' cafeteria of the Mirage Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.

There, activists like Amelia Moreland are trying to translate an endorsement from the state's most powerful union into support for Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in the Nevada caucus next Saturday. Labor unions are especially crucial in the Democratic presidential race for their ability to organize and mobilize voters and get them to the polls.

Both Obama and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton lobbied hard to for the endorsement of the Culinary Union which has 60,000 members. Obama won and his supporters now are trying to turn it into actual votes to balance Clinton's support from most of the rest of the state's Democratic establishment.

"We have to convince these people; it is tough," Moreland said, standing among chefs in white hats and cocktail waitresses in skimpy dresses. "If it is 20 percent (support) now, next Saturday it will be 80 percent."



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1334809720080113

[sunonmars]

1. I've never understood union endorsements

Quite frankly, if a union told me who to vote for, i'd tell them where to take a hike.

[ursi]

2. my husband is a teacher and he never follows what the teachers unions

say for endorsements because for the most parts, unions are about the people they represent. So in Nevada, Hillary can pull her shenigans with the teachers assocation to stop the culinary union from having votes ...all that did was piss off my husband so he standing with Edwards next week at the caucus.

[Ravy]

3. Some people take it very seriously...

and remember that Nevada is a caucus state this year. AND, many people will be voting at their workplace, with their other union members.

It may take a little extra courage to not stand with your union, again, knowing that *some* may take it seriously.