Word: caucus
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This was the first time the Nevada caucuses were held early enough to matter, so the unions convinced the Democratic party to let workers vote in the hotels, since Saturday at noon is the equivalent of first thing in the morning at your office. Bellagio workers were given a box lunch with a ham and salami sandwich, a bag of Kettle Chips, potato salad and carrot cake. When I headed into the hallway, I ran into Hillary Clinton, who was staying in the hotel, and asked her if she thought this was the nicest caucus ever. She laughed a laugh...
Unlike in Iowa, this caucus showed a cross-section of the new America: valets, chefs, croupiers, waiters, maids - all of whom made me realize how much easier it would be if every event I covered was attended only by people wearing name tags and uniforms signifying their occupations. And unlike in Iowa, these people were rowdier than kids at a pep rally before the game against their rival Texas football team. They screamed and chanted and - since this is Vegas and the ballroom had a stage - jumped up there to dance, chant and fake fight with each other. "This...
...cocktail waitress lobby - her supporters went insane. They immediately turned and faced the Obama supporters on the other side of the room, un-Iowanly pushing their signs at their sad faces and taunting them with chants as they stormed out of the room while the woman conducting the caucus was still talking on the stage. Although I did not see anyone pour champagne on anyone else, I have trouble believing it did not happen...
...reason the Vegas hotel caucus was so great is because the most American city delivered the most American form of democracy - the fun of entertainment fused with the efficiency of capitalism. In the room next door to the caucus, Genlab was holding a conference. Last weekend, the Consumer Electronics Show and the Adult Video News Convention were in town. And with some more practice Vegas caucuses will only get more fun and more efficient. When I'm back in 2012, I'm assuming Nevada will have caucus sites at strip clubs...
...slightly absurd experiment known as the 2008 Nevada caucuses, Hillary Rodham Clinton had a lot of the tactical disadvantages. Her main opponent for the Democratic presidential nomination, Barack Obama, could boast the coveted endorsement of the 60,000-member Culinary Workers union. Caucus organizers set up special precincts on the Las Vegas Strip designed to make it easier for those union members who worked Saturday to cast their votes. And John Edwards, though trailing in the race for the nomination, threatened to siphon support away from Clinton because of his populist appeal to working class Democrats. Those disadvantages were substantial...