Clinton on NV's caucus gone haywire: Who, me?

Thanks to Ralston for being the early bird on the transcript of Tim Russert asking the Borg about the Nevada caucus lawsuit on Meet the Press, and the former first lady assering that she's but an innocent bystander:

Tim Russert: In Iowa, you expressed concern that the time of the caucus prevented a lot of shift workers from voting. They were disenfranchised.

Hillary Clinton: Right

TR: We may confront the same thing in Nevada. They have now scheduled -- the state party there -- to have caucuses at the place of work so that shift workers can show up --many people -- minorities, particularly. Supporters of yours have filed a suit to try to stop having those caucus locations at the workplace. Do you support that suit?

HC: Well, first of all, I don't think it's supporters of mine. There seems to be some misunderstanding about that. I was asked yesterday in Reno. The teachers union that brought the suit has not endorsed me. I think their concern is to have as many people participate as possible, which is certainly what it should be. This is now in the courts. The courts and the state party will have to work it out. But I don't want to disenfranchise anybody.

TR: So why not drop the lawsuit, let people vote?

HC: Well, that's up to the people who brought it. But, Tim, as I understand it there are many people who work at many places who won't be able to work (I think she meant go to a caucus). The places for doing the caucus are not at their workplace. The caucus idea is for neighbors to work together and argue and talk about their choices. The problem is if you have a limited period of time --as I pointed this out long before anything happened in Nevada -- you are going to essentially leave people out who can't be there during that one to two-hour periods of time. So I haven't read the lawsuit but coverage of it seems to suggest that some people are saying, "Wait a minute. What about us? Those are not our workplaces. We have to be at work. How do we participate?" It's up to the courts to work that out."

Comments

[Not Bob]

So what are those of us who have been volunteering as temp pct chairs and encouraging our neighbors to attend either their home precinct or, if they work on the Strip, the at-large site, supposed to tell people now?

We've had absolutely no guidance from the state party about this. Its making us look like fools and will cost us credibility with these same neighbors when we try to get them to go vote in November, which is supposed to be the goal of all this.

[Johnathan L. Abbinett]

"Not Bob" you tell them it's very important that they STILL go to the Caucus and participate in our dysfunctional Democracy!

The lawsuit is about exposing corruption and ensuring a fair Delegate ratio on the "Super Strip Site" is equal to the Delegate ratio in an average Precinct!

Then, tell them, hopefully, next time we will have a regular Primary Election in Nevada where we have Mail-In (for our Military and Out-Of-Towners), Early Vote and Easy Voting in 2012!

But, for now, we must do our civic duty and Caucus for CHANGE!

Edwards/Obama '08!

HRC said "The caucus idea is for neighbors to work together." Doesn't sound much like she's against the lawsuit.

Another story this Sunday morning in the NY Times on the lawsuite and its isues.

Maybe it's all ablut keeping OJ's arrest off the front page for the week.

Did Republican DA Rogers have OJ brought to LV on caucus week for a reason? The infraction that OJ committed was months ago, so why the wait?

[texexnv@yahoo.com]

Nice catch, Hugh (and Jon)!~! I very much appreciate the column as I just didn't have the stomach to watch the show.

Russert is magnificent here throwing a high, inside fast ball right by her for two strikes with one pitch. (OK, wrong season and sport for that metaphor; maybe mud wrestling is more apropros)

Whether Penn and Tell-her are untimatley responsible for the suit or not she is taking a justified beating over the whole sordid debacle. From what I'm reading in the national blogs BO is picking huge waves of anti-HRC voters over this.

Well, Hairless, you got your wish and put Nevada right front and center in the pres race. You run ruin Nevada politics about as well as you run ruin the Senate.

ABC.

[HR]

This is from today's LA Times story, "Unions bitterly divided in Democratic race"

"The Nevada State Education Assn., which has not endorsed a candidate, filed suit late Friday, saying the casino caucuses provided an unfair advantage to the Culinary Workers. Officials in other unions, while not joining in the suit, denounced the process -- some in virulent terms.

"The deck is stacked in Vegas. The fix is in," said Rick Sloan, communications director for the International Assn. of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, which has endorsed Clinton. By holding caucuses in hotel casinos, "they specially invite all the casino workers to participate. They didn't mention the workers at McCarran," Las Vegas' airport where the machinists union dominates. "They didn't mention the post office. Or the workers at other sites" where unions have backed Clinton."

The deck IS stacked for the Culinary union over other local unions. This controversy has exposed that, and the complicity of a weak Nevada Democratic party that is beholden to -- no, intimidated by -- the Culinary. That's what is "disgusting."

The Culinary, formerly run by the Chicago mob-backed Tom Hanley, is a vestige of the past itself: the corrupt machine politics of places like Chicago, New York and Boston.

That corrupt legacy lives on in Vegas today, in a process that will help choose a president.

D. Taylor's dismissive remarks to the media about the lawsuit only show how arrogant the union is about itself and its corrupt practices.

[For HRC]

Bravo for Hillary. Well said.

If the suit was brought by her supporters, what of it? Is that surprising? They feel the process is unfair. It's a free country.

[texexnv@yahoo.com]

Obama speaks and picks up another U.S. Senator's endorsement.

And HRC, are you out of your friggin' mind saying this is a "free country" when we Nevadans are denied our basic one-person one-vote Constitutional rights?!?

Jeez....

[Go Edwards!]

"The Culinary, formerly run by the Chicago mob"

Mr. Clean BO is a product of the Daley machine. The Strip "super precincts" are NOT democracy - they are THE OPPOSITE of Democracy. They represent bare-knuckled boss politics at its Chicago worst.

DEMOCRACY is one person-one vote and a SECRET ballot. Strip workers who are opposed to BO know they better stay away from the Strip caucus sites or the Culinary organizers will make their lives miserable.

Every other union in town should be supporting the lawsuit. Where is John Hunt in this? Why didn't he have the cojones to LEAD the lawsuit? I'm for JOHN EDWARDS - but if he is not viable in my precinct I will either go for undecided or Clinton. No way in hell am I going for that phony Mr. Clean.

[MikeZ]

These union guys in that piece are so full of shit...every NV local, and NV every Dem politician signed off on this.

Not a single union in this state voiced a word of opposition to the Strip sites as recently as last month!!!

I know you guys think I'm full of shit, but the OB endorsements are going to continue to roll...Claire and Janet are major, major coups for him. I told you last week MO orgs were going to him on 2/5...and there much more coming.

No one of the Dem grown-ups wants this woman to be our standard bearer in Nov--we know she brings us all down and destroys the party and our majorities in Congress.

The NSDP choose the wrong horse and should have stayed neutral...but they listen to nothing or no one.

Harry and Tom bet the whole damn ranch...dumshitz.

[HR]

Mike Z, you're absolutely toxic. Your views are all about you and your personality, and not the party. You have produced nothing for the party except for divisiveness and hatred.

You are totally worthless (as you showed with your failure to prevent this current train wreak, and your blaming others for it), a major reason why the NSDP is disfunctional, and you and your ilk are thankfully on the way out.

[Buzz]

Hey MZ - you're selling us an Edsel!

Obama Unmasked

[texexnv@yahoo.com]

Jeez.... the roaches are absolutely bezerko insane today!~!

When are you people going to finally figure out this caucus and its rules are the pure product of Hairless Reid/Tom Collins/ and Jill Derby?

Mz was just ONE of about two dozen NSDP Officers and Exec Bd members that passed on this after it went through the hands of the candidates and Reid. Nobody had a chance to analyze and digest the rules as they were choking while it was stuffed down their throats by Reid/Collins/Derby.

If you really, REALLY want to get some satisfaction then go to the source that created this debacle: Reid/Collins/Derby.

[MikeZ]

I have to giggle at the irony here.

We sold this early event because NV Org Labor was soooo powerful and unified and growing here. We were going to show American what Nevada was really about...impress everyone with our abilities and acumen. Our fierce Sr Senator as SML flexing his muscles. Nevada's proud Papa.

100% Org Labor endorsed and supported the Strip sites...there was zero dissent, even privately.

Now Howard Dean is chewing Harry Reid a new asshole every ten minutes asking 'WTF is going on in NV Harry?" This wasn't what you sold us.

I predicted almost all of this months ago, and no one listened to me. No one.

When you choose to play ball with the big boys and girls...you have to know how to play THEIR game on THEIR field.

Organized labor here, and their hatred of each other, has succeed in making Nevada a national laughingstock today, and Harry and Tom allowing them has the attention of every member of the DNC, every member of Congress, every blog and pundit nationwide.

My suggestion to both Harry and Tom and your minions is to pull your dogs off and let this die when the judge tosses it tomorrow.

You both have been wildly successful in making Nevada look exceedingly bad and only you two knuckleheads have the power to stop this and piss this wildfire out.

Chop, chop fellas before the entire party turn on both of you. Harry you're colleagues are doubled over with laughter at how damn foolish you look now. My email box is full and your head is on the line Mr Senator

They're all blaming you too dumplin'.

This is all a reflection on you, sir.

This is your baby guys...we sink or swim based on your actions in the coming hours.

[enough]

Obama is an Edsel? Nah. Perhaps he is more of a sleek, Mercedes, bought and paid for by, well, to borrow use verbiage from David Sirota:

'Edwards is the major Democratic candidate staking is campaign on an indictment of economic inequality, corporate power and corruption. As the latest Democracy Corps poll shows, these are the very societal ills angering a middle class whose real-life struggles with stagnant wages, layoffs, debt, foreclosures and health care costs chafe against a pop culture and political system that glorify fabulous affluence.

Just look at the stump speeches.

"The most important thing a president needs to do is to make it clear that we're not going to continue to see jobs shipped overseas, jobs that are lost by American workers, many in their 50s who, for 20 and 30 years, have worked to make a company rich and then watch as a CEO takes a $100 million bonus to jettison those American jobs somewhere else," Huckabee said at a recent Republican debate. "That's criminal — it's wrong."

Edwards presents arguably the boldest challenge to the political Establishment of any major presidential candidate in contemporary history. Proposing sweeping health care, tax, trade and labor law reform, he says the only way "people who are powerful in Washington" are "going to give away their power is if we take it away from them." The system, he says, is "controlled by big corporations, the lobbyists they hire to protect their bottom line and the politicians who curry their favor and carry their water."

On the Democratic side, it is even more obscene. Between speeches pledging concern for the middle class, Clinton has graced the cover of magazines like Fortune with the headline "Business Loves Hillary!" She has publicly defended the influence of lobbyists, and she has raked in more defense and health industry cash than any other candidate. Meanwhile, Obama tells America to "hope" as he raises big money from Wall Street and endorses a proposed expansion of job-killing, NAFTA-style trade policy.

Whether ... win or lose, Edwards competitive position reminds us that underneath the campaign contributions and media coronations, that forgotten thing called democracy still beats in the heart of America.'

http://www.creators.com/opinion/david-sirota/the-huey-longs-of-iowa.html

My liberal heart beats for Edwards and America so that we truly have the opportunity for us all to begin to accomplish authentic change.

[HR]

Jesus, "enough" -- don't you see that Edwards can't win, even in South Carolina, his birthplace? This is a two-person race in the Dem party. Give it up...

[Buzz]

HR - Edwards out - In your freakin dreams. Obama and HRC are both fatally flawed corporate powered losers who are being set up by the corporate owned media (com)to lose to McCain, who is going to be the GOP nominee.

So your opinion is that we should just sell ourselves out to the highest bidder...As JRE says " this is an election and not an auction."

Obama is an empty suit who gives a good speech. Loser.........

John Edwards for President and we are going to the convention to elect him. And JLA take BO off your short VP list...he's all media flash and ego and as corrupt as the Chicago machine behind him. Democrats can do better.

[KidFromVegas]

YES MZ, we know, we know, you hate Harry as much as Simon & Sherm. Yeah, you too Texex, you hate Harry too. I love Harry, I think he's great, and no, I do not agree with everything he does, but he's my senior senator, and I think he's swell!

The sky is not falling, an internal caucus process was agreed upon, and now it is not, so we do what Nevadans do best...we go to the courts. We go to the courts for everything! The sheer entertainment value of watching a canon backfire on clowns is part of our culture.

Let the at-large delegates stand.

[MikeZ]

Only Harry Reid can stop this...and the DNC is furious at us...smokin' mad.

The whole world is watching we rubes and bumpkins

MZ and Texex are in the wrong line of work. They should be working with Miss Cleo. It's clear they can read minds because they know EVERYTHING that is going on. Got any stock tips for us?

[JoeyM]

SELL SELL SELL!

[Rich S]

Mike - not ALL Dems know or knew about these super caucus sites. I didn't. Does this mean I can go and caucus there? I doubt it. But why not? It's a super site.
What about the Carpenters, Sheet Metal workers, grocery store workers, etc. who can't caucus as no super sites are set up for them? This caucus bull shit is just that. Why did clueless Reid give us this screwed up mess in the first place?
Laughing stock of the nation? yeah, and it makes we individuals look like wild west hooligans.
Is the American Dream totally gone?
After all is said and done this caucus bull shit is null and void and doen't represent the people of Nevada...just the usual criminals who call themselves senators or congressmen.
This party is rotten to the core.

[MikeZ]

Yes, sell stocks, buy precious minerals, platinum is best...and mortgage stressed properties. Stock Market about 25% over-valued and due for a correction.

And tell your friends Harry's allies that the bulls-eye is on his head and the vultures are circling...

He looks the worst in all of this...and now looks that way nationally.

More mind-reading, MZ. I'm not one of Harry's allies and have nothing to do with the party. I'm just sick of people who think they know everything that goes on.

[MikeZ]

Rich, communications is not NSDP's strong suit, but the Strip was the whole entire ballgame for Reid and Collins and it was at meetings and all over the press in early 2007. Collins whored the concept and everyone was just so happy and smiling, I thought for sure we'd all break out, join hands and sing Kumbahya together at launch at UNLV.

You had to actually be there to witness the mindless and mind-numbing cheer leading with no one grasping the enormity of what we were embarking upon and the discord it would cause. The Strip sites were the crown jewel of this whole shebang.

Remember too, that both Collins and Reid expected 226 to fall in line and walk in lock step with them, but they had other plans it turns out, and that's what this is all about. Not principle, not integrity, certainly not voters...it's about the best laid plans completely f'd when 226 changed directions. Both bet the entire NSDP that 226 would follow them off the cliff.

This is a gigantic union pissing contest playing out nationally now.

The top three all firmly believed they had 226 in the bag until just the last weeks. HRC knew first that she was out and plotted with her allies her to dilute 226's value. Edwards was really counting on them, he was even changing urinal cakes in the Men's room to show how much he cared.

226 used all 3 to affect negotiations, and did so deftly.

The at-large sites produced some heated exchanges within the eboard and we failed all year to discuss with the SCC what just occurred prior on at the eboard meeting, or in emails and you can blame Ms Derby for that.

Again, we did the best we could and John Hunt and the others had their chance to speak up and out, and didn't.

Come on 1/20 can't come fast enuf for me.