Nevada Without Vegas?

Published Feb 09 2007, 03:27 PM by David S. Bernstein

OK, so the Democratic Presidential candidates have decided to take Nevada’s early caucus seriously. All but Obama will participate in a Feb. 21 “forum” in Carson City, and Obama will visit the state a few days later. Problem: Unlike Iowa and New Hampshire, the Presidential campaigns don’t know where to go, who to talk to, where to hold events, which diner to “drop in for a slice of pie” at, what spots make a good backdrop for TV, and so on. So the state’s Democratic Party has put together and distributed a 48-page guide for the candidates. The Las Vegas Sun notes that the guide strenuously avoids mention of anything that makes Nevada, say, different from Iowa or New Hampshire -- most blatantly, the Vegas strip:

It lists seven "Clark County Hot Spots." The Palms, Pure, Cirque du Soleil?

Try Harrie's Bagelmania, Hash House A Go Go, Omelet House, the Coffee Pub, Paymons Mediterranean Cafe, Triple George and Bagel Cafe.

Because when I think Vegas hot spots, I'm picturing bagels.

Sure, many of the folks you meet in the casinos are vacationers, not potential caucus voters. But the Las Vegas Gleaner blog points out that they're also chock-full of union employees. Also:

...if the wannabees wanna connect with frequent and very likely voters who also have enough time on their hands that they might actually go to a caucus thingy, that is, if the candidates want to find the geezers, they're eventually going to have to belly up to a video poker machine at a neighborhood megaresort, don't ya think?