January 19, 2008
Posted: 05:15 PM ET

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (CNN) – If you weren’t supporting Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama at the caucus held Saturday at Caesar’s Palace, then you were caught in some pretty aggressive crossfire.

Early reports showed that the at-large caucuses on Las Vegas’ famed Strip were fairly evenly divided between Obama and Clinton, and at Caesar’s the two sides didn’t mind voicing their support. The senators’ corners volleyed chants back and forth and often crossed the invisible line that separated them in the middle of the ballroom to bait the other side.

On several occasions the back-and-forth grew heated, with rumors of false information and unfair lobbying of undecideds swirling among caucus-goers.

Clinton supporters from the Steel Workers’ Union held signs saying “I Support my Union, I Support Hillary.” Since the at-large caucuses we targeting workers from Culinary Union which endorsed Obama, the Obama supporters felt Clinton supporters were misleading undecided Culinary workers.

In the end, of the 33 delegates allotted to Caesar’s, 17 went to Obama and 16 to Clinton. The six caucus-goers (of 167) who weren’t supporting Obama or Clinton quietly slipped their second choices to the caucus chair so the warring factions wouldn’t swarm them. Four went for Obama, one for Hillary, and the last decided not to commit.

– CNN Nevada Producer Alexander Marquardt

Filed under: Nevada


David   January 19th, 2008 5:20 pm ET

I am an African American male, and a long time Democrat who has voted in every presidential and senatorial election since I was 18 years old. If Hillary wins the nomination, I will vote for McCain, and a huge number of African Americans will protest the election, all because Hillary attacked a viable black candidate by using the "race card" and her supporters have been spewing more racist, venomous garbage than any republican would ever dare.

Do you think you can win the general election if African Americans voted for McCain or just sat out all together? Considering all the independents who will go for Romneyor McCain?

I don't think so. I won't give my vote to Hillary and her racist supporters. Not in the general, and not ever. The Clinton's have shown their true colors.

BLACKS NEED TO SEPARATE FROM THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY. THEY ARE JUST AS RACIST AS REPUBLICANS. BE INDEPENDENT AND PROTEST HILLARY'S RACIST POLICIES THIS CAMPAIGN SEASON. SEND A STRONG MESSAGE

Sean   January 19th, 2008 5:24 pm ET

In a battle between steel workers and culinary experts, my money's on the steel workers.

So, CNN, any real information to disclose about the results or shall we continue wading through your spin zone?

Duop Chak   January 19th, 2008 5:28 pm ET

I was watching that on CNN-live and it was unfair practices—this showed some irregularities may have been already existed in other part of the State.

Sudanese in America   January 19th, 2008 5:30 pm ET

Sorry to see such a practices occuring in the US. election.

TrueThis   January 19th, 2008 5:33 pm ET

CNN is in with the Clintons. She will not be the next president. People dislike her and you think by divide us between race is helping this country. It was HRC who stated that Latinos will not vote for an African American. I can't wait until she hit those red states…….she don't have a chances.

CNN you making it hard for people to be uplifted about voting.

Jermaine   January 19th, 2008 5:36 pm ET

David, I am a Soldier and I "STRONGLY" support and believe what you say. Bill Clinton act like he is running for President, and Hillary is showing she is really as vindictive or worst that G.W.B. will ever be. I know for sure that the majority of Blacks will support OBAMA, and although he stands a good chance of getting the nomination, should the Clintons continue down this path with their "by any means necessarry" I am confident she will not lock up the vote in the South and across the country as blacks have already begin to slip away. She and Bill use the race card in an attempt to derail OBAMA, and they are trying and at times succeeding at pitting the Hispanics against the blacks. It is not working with the new generation, because I am 35 and every hispanics in my age group and below have strong supports and feeling for OBAMA. Hillary and Bill are why the Democrats will loose the white house and the CONGRESS with it. Blame Hillary, BLAME BILL CLINTON. The black Americans are tired of being taken for granted and she and Bill has shown that they are using MAGIC JOHNSON in California and other blacks of the old guard to derail OBAMA. If the Clintons play fair she loose, but they are as crooked as ever, at times more smare than a Republican. I know Hillary does not have my vote, at first I was going to support whoever the Democratic nominee was, but no, not now not ever. I guess I will remain independent and should OBAMA fail I will support a Bloomeburg candidacy with Obama as his running mate. We need to unite this country. And yes as an AFRICAN AMERICAN BLACKMAN, REAGAN DID MORE FOR AMERICAN THAN BILL CLINTON OR HILLARY WILL EVER DREAM TO HOPE!

HILLARY WILL LOSE THE ELECTION WITHOUT THE BLACK VOTE AND SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO REPAIR THE DAMAGES WITHOUT OBAMA AS HER VP,…HE WILL DECLINE TO ACCEPT, AS HE SHOULD. IT WILL SHOW THAT YOU CANNOT DEGRADE SOMEONE AND EXPECT THEM NOT BE WITH YOU LATER. NO OBAMA-NO HILLARY……….INDEPENDENTS FOR CHANGE….BLOOMEBERG-OBAMA. HILLARY WILL choose Edwards but she will loose!

joe   January 19th, 2008 5:39 pm ET

GO TO MSNBC FOR FAIR AND OBJECTIVE REPORTING..CNN SELECTIONS OF ARTICLES AND HEADLINE ARE ALL PRO OBAMA

GO TO MSNBC GO TO MSNBC GO TO MSNBC
FAIR REPORTING…FAIR REPORTING..FAIR REPORTING

Ken   January 19th, 2008 5:45 pm ET

This election is rigged and is over!

Independent in America   January 19th, 2008 5:46 pm ET

It's time for a COMPLETE overhaul of the election process. This is not an old-fashioned hoedown nor a barroom brawl :( this is to determine the next President of the United States of America!!

Mirta   January 19th, 2008 5:52 pm ET

I watched the entire broadcast and I will repeat my comments from another thread. I think the process is extremely out -dated and very unprofessional. It looked like a girl scout meeting tallying cookie totals. The potential for voter supression is so high - what if your boss is on the other side of the aisle and wants you on her side? People can be easily swayed. This should be a private process, plain and simple. It is going to get even more heated…my concern is that it will break out in the streets at some point. Funny though, when it was being reported on air, it was reported as a "friendly exchanges"…now in print, it has become "heated"?

As far as biased reporting, I had to laugh at Vleshi reporting from the caucus room. He went from trumpeting a "majority of Obama supporters" to reporting an hour later that the final vote was a division of just six votes. If BHO doesn't get the nomination, will CNN will start supporting the Repub?

Nripen Saha   January 19th, 2008 5:54 pm ET

If both Hillary and Barak Obama were 100% black (Barak is only 50% black and he was raised in a white family with white thinking), I am 100% sure that 90% of black people would have voted for Hillary. This is because she has accomplished much more than him and she and her husband together contributed to the improvement of black people's life significantly more than Barak did. Is it then a reverse racism that 80% of black people are voting against Hillary, just because she is not black? Racism and reverse racism - both are equally deplorable. I am very disappointed at new generation of black leaders who forget history so fast. On the other hand, I have deep respect for black leaders like Rep John Lewis who came close to death for racial equality and who to the end fights racism of both kind. This is character!

Ann   January 19th, 2008 5:59 pm ET

Amazing that the AA voters seem to think Obama should be handed the nomination and never be criticized or challenged.

Boy, now that's a sense of entitlement that is pretty absurd in a political competition.

GaryO Virginia Beach   January 19th, 2008 6:15 pm ET

After reading these posts, I can't understand how anyone could think Hillary Clinton is playing the "race card."

What evidence is there of that?

It's a crazy conclusion.

Bradley from East Orange, NJ   January 19th, 2008 6:26 pm ET

Personally, I think that it is disgusting that fewer than 11,000 democrates came out to participate in the Nevada Caucuses and that a presidential candidate can be selected be so few people in a state and across the country. I for one, will be out to be counted when the contest comes to New Jersey.

Mari   January 19th, 2008 6:33 pm ET

It's interesting to see how the racial and possible gender divisions seems to be widening. Black Democrat men mostly for Obama. White Democrat women mostly for Clinton.

I think if Hillary were a man, then the advantages of nepotism would be more of an issue.

But even more so, if Barack were white, then he'd be seen as a promising and upcoming candidate for a future election, but still too inexperienced for this cycle, and relegated to third tier status like all the candidates who've withdrawn so far.

Joe   January 19th, 2008 7:27 pm ET

Bradley, the 11,000 figure is of delegates - NOT caucus-goers / voters.

The Democrats broke a record for participation of the number of people participating in the caucuses.

All of this hullabaloo is too ridiculous to comment on, and CNNs good news coverage is cancelled out by their horrible on-line enquirer-quality headlines.

ed woehr   January 19th, 2008 9:03 pm ET

January 19, 2008 8:59 pm ET
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
January 19, 2008 8:10 pm ET

Don't put to much weight in the Nevada caucus. When people arrived to vote they were told they could not vote because the door was closed and they were not allowed to vote. The caucus is a scam!!! Many people didn't vote which would have, changing the Nevada out come! We need to go back to a true PRIMARY!!!

bren   January 19th, 2008 9:24 pm ET

every person who has ever run for president and every person who has become president has faced criticism and dealt with it. why is obama different? why does his camp scream racism over any comment made about him?

Brian   January 20th, 2008 12:33 am ET

These caucuses are absurd. This is like something from a third world country, where you cannot vote for who you want. You go in a room and people scream at you to vote for who they want. I voted in the New Hampshire Primary, where I pulled the curtain and filled in the circle next to Barack Obama's name and that was that. No one hollered at me, just a peaceful American way of voting for the candidate that I believe in. This caucus thing seems outdated to say the least. I don't think that it is an accurate account of how people really feel and vote. It needs to be changed.

Wake up America,
It's time for a change
Obama / Edwards 08

She says we need experience. Just because she lived in the White House doesn't mean that she ran it. She didn't even have security clearance. (She didn't even see notice her husband getting down with the help.) How involved could she really have been?

Maris   January 20th, 2008 12:40 am ET

IF THEY NEVER SHUT THE DOOR BECAUSE ONE MORE PERSON APPEARS LATE, THEN THEY WOULD NEVER HAVE STARTED THE CAUCAS! IT'S LIKE THE KID WHO DOESN'T GET AN "A" BECAUSE HE WAS ONE POINT SHY. YOU HAVE TO DRAW THE LINE SOMEWHERE.

CONGRATULATIONS HILLARY ON WINNING THE NEVADA CAUCAS!!! GO HILLARY!!!

jerzee gal   January 20th, 2008 3:46 am ET

joe msnbc has been the least objective to democrats in general. Or did you miss what was said about hillary. If you want to be objective visit each candidates website. Sort the bs, it is not that hard. I am pro Obama after visiting clinton site. Actually I am pro anybody but her. BARACK OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!See you on inauguration day!!!!!!!!!!on cnn!!!!!

mark wilkes barre pa   January 20th, 2008 5:46 am ET

Well,, there you have it folks ,,, so much for Bills arguement about votes counting 5 times more ,, looks pretty evenly split to me

charlotte   January 20th, 2008 5:47 am ET

I watched the caucus process in Nevada. Thank God , the rest of the nation is a private process. I can see how people could be intimidated. The voting process should be improved. The caucus process is not an improvement. It is an amusement. Lets just stick to the little booth with a curtain and absoluletly no outside pressure. There are a lot of people who are easily pressured to do things they might not have done without peer pressure. Thus the term "peer pressure."
The little booth is the best, then we can scream it was rigged, demand a recount and cloud the process, and in the end, nothing changes. One thing we have learned in the process is no more punch cards, with hanging chads. Can an election be fixed? Yes! When a vote is confusing, Ex: Butterfly ballot, when a no vote is really a yes vote, things like that. The age of computers, where Identity theft is a real threat,, if someone wants to steal your vote they sure can. It is scary, but we cannot let the threats of hackers, terrorist etc. take away our rights to freedom. The right to vote is the fundamental right of our country. WE must exercise that right. If you disagree with me or not. PLEASE VOTE People who make stupid comments, like "I'll move if so and so wins," who will cut off their noses to spite their faces, those kinds of comments make me very sad.

AnnAloha, PA Independent Thinker   January 20th, 2008 8:20 am ET

So since the lawsuit was rejected, the Culinary Union still voted thier mind and not their union's bullying?
I LOVE AMERICA!!!!
And the anti Clinton media got bruised huh? OOOOPS
1 word:
LESSONS

Non US   January 20th, 2008 11:09 am ET

The Democratique party have to think very well (Obama or Hilary) who have the better chance to win vs Republicain!?!

How some person can be American Senate and Pres Canditate and doesnt have experience?

How some canditates are follwing the plan and Ideas of somebody who doesnt have Experience?

For me and my point of view: I can be better president with New Ideas (Good One) Good Visions for the country and give the country new hope MORE Than the person who Claim or have Experience.

Dirty campaign and Race cards, isnt a sign of good leaderships for a President.

We cant divide people before or to be president.

Bonne Chance AMERICA

Suraki   January 20th, 2008 10:30 pm ET

The article states:

"The senators’ corners volleyed chants back and forth and often crossed the invisible line that separated them in the middle of the ballroom to bait the other side."

But in the coverage I saw, it was the Hillary supporters that crossed over, marching, chanting, and stuffing Hillary signs in the faces of the Obama supporters.

In regards to the "race card", it appears to me that the Clintons tried to set a trap for Obama. I believe that Hillary's comments in regards to LBJ and MLK were intended to provoke a reactionary response from the Obama campaign that would cause him to be likened to Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson and allow them to criticize him for creating a race issue. But, Obama didn't fall for it; as far as I am able to tell, this is the extent of his commentary on the issue:

"Senator Clinton made an unfortunate remark, an ill-advised remark,
about King and Lyndon Johnson. I didn't make the statement. I haven't
remarked on it, and she, I think, offended some folks who felt that
somehow diminished King's role in bringing about the Civil Rights Act.
She is free to explain that, but the notion that somehow this is our
doing is ludicrous."

On the day of their truce, I was reading CNN. I watched the headline come in, first it was Obama's camp that wanted to move on. They didn't think the quarrel was doing the party or their campaigns any favors. Not long after and not to be outdone, the Hillary campaign issued a release that said the same thing. The media has tried to make this look like a simultaneous and mutual decision, but it wasn't. It was Obama's initiative and he had the least to do with the conflict to begin with.

If I recall correctly, it was the next morning when Clinton supporter Charlie Rangell disparaged Obama for playing the race card — something he never did — and called his remarks "stupid". It seemed to me an attempt to draw Obama back into the fray, but again, it didn't work. Publicly, Hillary disavowed the remarks, the same way she disavowed Bob Johnson's comments, which Johnson later tried to
pretend was about Obama's time spent doing community organizing work.

This stuff goes on and on for the Clinton campaign; individual incidents could be explained away or pardoned, but this repeating pattern has gotten ridiculous.

At one point, HRC was my top choice for presidential candidate, but after watching months (and to a lesser extent, years) of this cutthroat garbage going on, neither my wife nor I will under any circumstances give Hillary our votes. I'll go McCain.

Obama / Edwards '08

Independent in America   January 22nd, 2008 5:33 am ET

Suraki - Martin Luther King III, the eldest son of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, said he thought the controversy had been blown out of proportion and further that he assumed what she was trying to say is that a president needs leadership and vision. "He didn't believe it was her intent was to diminish his dad" nor did he think it was meant to be a racist remark.

Also Martin Luther King III, offers the best caution when he advises voters — of every race and sex — not to become "so fixated on the candidates that they forget about issues that would still cause [my father] pain."

He has not endorsed any candidate yet, but he did give John Ewards a glowing letter stating "I challenge all candidates to follow your lead"!

Comments have been closed for this article

subscribe RSS Icon
About The Ticker

The latest political news from CNN's Best Political Team, with campaign coverage, 24-7. Sign up for our twice daily Ticker emails. Got a news tip or feedback? For complete political coverage, bookmark CNNPolitics.com.

CNN=Politics Screensaver

CNN=Politics ScreensaverTap into the power of The Situation Room. Download this powerful new tool that keeps you posted on the latest political news from the campaign trail.
Download (4.1 MB, PC only)

Follow us on Twitter

CNN on TwitterGet Ticker updates the moment they appear online via the Web, SMS, or instant messages.
Follow politicalticker

Categories
CNN Comment Policy: CNN encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You may not post any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. Please note that CNN makes reasonable efforts to review all comments prior to posting and CNN may edit comments for clarity or to keep out questionable or off-topic material. All comments should be relevant to the post and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. By submitting your comment, you hereby give CNN the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, cablecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comment(s) and accompanying personal identifying information via all forms of media now known or hereafter devised, worldwide, in perpetuity. CNN Privacy Statement.
Home  |  World  |  U.S.  |  Politics  |  Entertainment  |  Health  |  Tech  |  Travel  |  Living  |  Business  |  Sports  |  Time.com
Podcasts  |  Blogs  |  CNN Mobile  |  Preferences |  Email Alerts  |  CNN Radio  |  CNN Shop  |  Site Map
© 2008 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
Powered by WordPress.com