Obama Receives Union Endoresment in NV

[Zed Snardbody]

The culinary union is the one of the biggest here and the most powerful. Obama also maintains more campaign offices in Nevada, and in particular Las Vegas than any other candidate. Obama and Edwards are the only ones that seem to consistently pronounce the state name properly, a big selling point.

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Presidential candidate Barack Obama has won the support of the 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union in Nevada, a coup for the Democrat that could boost his candidacy against Hillary Rodham Clinton in the state's nominating contest.

Leaders of the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 announced the endorsement at a news conference with members Wednesday, the day after Obama narrowly lost the New Hampshire primary to Clinton.

Culinary secretary-treasurer D. Taylor praised Obama's work with a sister union in Chicago and said the Illinois senator would appeal across the union's diverse ranks. He took a jab at the mostly white electorate that had so far shaped the race in New Hampshire and Iowa.

"We're not just Wonderbread here, we got pumpernickel, we got whole wheat, we got rye. We're excited about that. That's America. That's why Senator Obama excites us and excites the country," Taylor said, following cheers and the union chant "Si se puede."

Obama chanted the English translation, "Yes we can," in his concession speech Tuesday.

The endorsement was on behalf of the Culinary group and its parent union, UNITE HERE. UNITE HERE claims 450,000 active members; its endorsement is Obama's first from a major national union.

"Our organization and our members will do everything in our power to see that he reaches the White House this fall, because we know he will bring working Americans with him," UNITE HERE president Bruce Raynor said.

The move could affect the race in Nevada, where Clinton has long enjoyed solid support from the Democratic establishment and a hefty lead in the polls. Obama has sought support there outside the pool of experienced activists.

The union, representing hotel, restaurant and laundry workers in Nevada's casino industry, is the largest and best organized labor group in the state. It has the potential of steering thousands of voters to the state's Jan. 19 caucus.

"The technology they use is shoe leather," said Ted Jelen, a political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "This is an experienced and politically savvy outfit."

The union's skeptics point to its large number of immigrants, roughly 45 percent, and suggest many are not registered to vote. They also note the union has left itself little time to rally its ranks around Obama.

In a sign that Clinton was, at least for now, still in the fight, her Nevada campaign came up with a counterpunch to the Culinary announcement.

Democratic Rep. Shelley Berkley, who represents Las Vegas, announced her support of Clinton on a conference call with reporters. She previously said she would stay neutral.

The campaign also announced late Thursday that Clinton would be the first candidate to visit the state after New Hampshire. She was scheduled to campaign in Las Vegas on Thursday. Obama planned a rally with Culinary members on Friday.

Obama also picked up the endorsement of the Nevada chapter of the Service Employees International Union, which voted to endorse him Tuesday.

The unions' decisions are a blow to former Sen. John Edwards, who finished third in New Hampshire and is struggling to prevent a two-person race between Obama and Clinton.

Edwards had attempted to position himself as the labor candidate in a state where nearly two-thirds of Democratic voters are union members.

With labor now split, Edwards is outmanned by the better-funded Obama and Clinton operations. He has not yet run television ads here, while Clinton and Obama have been airing positive, introductory commercials for three weeks.

Aides say Edwards plans to spend most of his time in the next week campaigning in South Carolina, where he was born, ahead of its Jan. 26 Democratic primary.

The role of unions is amplified by the expectation that relatively few caucus-goers will show up in Nevada, a previously irrelevant contest that has never played a significant role in picking the nominee. Even among Democrats who say they are engaged in the race, many don't know what a caucus is or why Nevada's matters.

State party officials and campaigns are not expecting more than 10 percent of registered Democrats, around 45,000 people, to participate.

Awareness is even spottier on the Republican side. The Nevada Republican Party's caucus has been overshadowed by the primary in South Carolina, which shares the Jan. 19 date. The GOP field has given Nevada little attention.

Clinton has visited the state eight times, Obama 10.

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[Jack Bauer]

Obama's still down by double digits in NV, last time I checked. Given Clinton's upset in NH, I'm a little nervous about Nevada's results.

[His Divine Shadow]

Kerry has now also endorsed Obama, if it matters in any way to this. Kerrys speech here:
http://edition.cnn.com/video/?iref=videoglobal

Navigate to politics to see it.