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Key Nevada union backs Obama in blow to Clinton
Reuters ^ | 9 Jan 08 | Adam Tanner

Posted on 01/10/2008 6:55:03 AM PST by seanmerc

Barack Obama rebounded from a close loss to Hillary Clinton and won the support of the heavily Hispanic union representing Las Vegas casino workers on Wednesday ahead of the next Democratic presidential contest.

The Obama endorsement by the Culinary Workers Union, whose 60,000 members service the famed hotels and casinos on the Las Vegas strip and is a major political force in Nevada, was a blow to Clinton, who had campaigned for its backing in the state's January 19 contest.

"We had a wonderful dilemma," D. Taylor, the union's secretary treasurer, told a noisy news conference. "It's been a very difficult decision."

"We understand we are going against the Democratic power establishment ... we are used to being underdogs," he added.

Clinton, the New York senator aiming to become the first woman president in the November election, had led in polls in Nevada and courted the union and Hispanics, which make up 45 percent of the union's membership.

The group's parent organization, UNITE HERE, with 460,000 food service, gaming and other workers nationwide, also expressed support for Obama, the Illinois senator who is hoping to become America's first black president.

"It's a little bit of a surprise," said David Damore, an associate professor of political science at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. "A lot of people expected, especially after Clinton's turnaround in New Hampshire yesterday, that they would go for the establishment candidate."

Clinton, the former first lady, narrowly beat Obama in Tuesday's New Hampshire primary after trailing by double digits in public opinion polls leading up to the voting.

Democrats moved up the Nevada contest to third for 2008 because the Western state with its large Hispanic population and diverse mix of people was seen as more representative of the rest of the United States than Iowa and New Hampshire.

The Culinary Union endorsement is also a setback to former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who worked hard to build labor support in the key primary states and finished third in New Hampshire, well behind Clinton and Obama.

Nevada is considered a political swing state that could go either Republican or Democrat in the general election in November, and it has backed the winner every year since President Richard Nixon in 1972.

"A union endorsement is important," Ken Fernandez, an assistant professor and expert on unions at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

Obama in a statement stressed his long time support for unions and plans to address the group on his trip to Las Vegas on Friday.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: herroyalhighness; hildebeast; hillaryrodhamclinton; mrsbillclinton

1 posted on 01/10/2008 6:55:03 AM PST by seanmerc
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To: seanmerc

Hillary has the Chinese dishwashers in her corner. /s.


2 posted on 01/10/2008 6:57:08 AM PST by csvset
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To: seanmerc
I predict the Democratic convention is going to be one of the grandest spectacles of political theater in the history of the Republic.
3 posted on 01/10/2008 6:58:22 AM PST by HisKingdomWillAbolishSinDeath (Christ's Kingdom on Earth is the answer. What is your question?)
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To: seanmerc

I was waiting to see how the culinary union went. All the national polls I’ve seen for Nevada are dated pre-Iowa and show Clinton way ahead. It’ll be interesting to see how they swing today.


4 posted on 01/10/2008 7:00:56 AM PST by randog (What the...?!)
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To: seanmerc

UNITE HERE ==> HE RUIN TEE


5 posted on 01/10/2008 7:02:36 AM PST by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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To: seanmerc

Related...

http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2008/01/powerful-nevada-union-backs-obama.html


6 posted on 01/10/2008 7:14:54 AM PST by traderrob6
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To: HisKingdomWillAbolishSinDeath

Gotta say I hope the end of Clinton’s political ambitions are near.


7 posted on 01/10/2008 7:30:26 AM PST by Red in Blue PA (Truth : Liberals :: Kryptonite : Superman)
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To: seanmerc
A clear power struggle is emerging in the democrap party. Now we are seeing people like John Kerry jumping on the Obama bandwagon. Not that anyone should care what this dolt thinks, but it’s significant in that he’s perceived as a high profile democrap.

The Clinton mafia has worked the last 7 years building support with the big shots in the party and installed their lackeys, like McAuliffe, in key positions on the DNC. They have controlled the money, rewarding those that have promised support and punished those that haven’t.

Now the power brokers are starting to worry, she has spent millions, and the high-priced Madison Ave whores they have on staff have tried to repackage her to America - but still the negatives are at unwinable levels. Now there are clear signs the MSM may be switching sides and will start manipulating the public towards Obama.

For all the razzle and dazzle, she remains an ogre obsessed with her place in history, a mean-spirited, uninspiring, dead fish, lacking the personality and charisma to win...

The democraps are convinced, and it’s quite likely, the will maintain control of congress in 2008. There worst nightmare is a locking in that control, only to have a republican running the executive branch.

All we can hope for at this point is that the DNC turns on the bitch, the MSM turns on the bitch and against all odds Obama takes the nomination. If more people like Kerry desert her, if more large trade unions can direct their thugs to work against her, we are moving in the right direction.

But they still have tons of money and unlimited sources, they still will cheat at every possible turn and if they have to, they might even kill him, or poison him - of course it will be a tragic accident. I can see it now, the stress of the campaign caused the heart attack, blah, blah, blah...

8 posted on 01/10/2008 7:31:06 AM PST by Beatthedrum
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To: seanmerc
I got this in an email today.

Obama's church:
Please read and go to this church's website and read what is written there. I checked the church website and what I found is very alarming. Barack Obama is a member of this church and is running for President of the U.S. If you look at the first page of their website, you will learn that this congregation has a non-negotiable commitment to Africa. No where is AMERICA even mentioned. Notice too, what color you will need to be if you should want to join Obama's church... B-L-A-C-K!!!

Trinity United Church of Christ

9 posted on 01/10/2008 7:59:21 AM PST by Arrowhead1952 (I've been too busy for FR this weekend, because I did the things I refuse to let the invaders do.)
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To: All

What I want to see is the two of them come in even with about 45% each, and SilkyPony having about 10% and the balance of power...


10 posted on 01/10/2008 8:23:59 AM PST by BigEdLB (BigEd)
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To: BigEdLB

Exactly. I actually don’t want the Hildebeast to get knocked out of the box yet. I want to see a protracted, strife-filled battle for the Rat nomination—want to see them spend as many of their resources as possible on the primaries. I wouldn’t even mind the Hildebeast getting the Rat nomination because I think she’s the most easily-defeated Rat candidate. Plus, if she loses, she’s done nationally. OTOH, she’s part of the Clintonista posse, so it’s wise not to underestimate her.


11 posted on 01/10/2008 8:32:23 AM PST by seanmerc
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To: seanmerc

Thank you for posting this article.

“”We had a wonderful dilemma,” D. Taylor, the union’s secretary treasurer, told a noisy news conference. “It’s been a very difficult decision.”

The TREASURER.

“We had a wonderful dilemna. Whose dirty money should we take? It’s been a very difficult decision.”


12 posted on 01/10/2008 8:39:24 AM PST by UCANSEE2 (Just saying what 'they' won't.)
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