Having followed the hyperbole yesterday on many of the Caucus related threads , this from a friend in Washoe Valley seems a welcome addition to the dialoge.Its from a first time caucus worker/attendee.She's a successful author with no campaign axe to grind.

Joan Walsh, editor of Salon, interviewed the CWA member who was intimidated by her CWA union rep.  In that interview she makes it very clear that she was intimidated.  The reporter, Michael Mishik, kept pushing her. "He twisted my words", said the victim. It was very clear to her that she was threatened by the union.

The reporter's idea of acceptable union tactics would make Sam Giancana proud, but I don't think most people, even Obama partisans , would think telling folks that they can't get the time off to caucus unless they pledge to caucus for Obama, or get their shift changed if they don't endorse Obama or in some other way have the union intercede with the casino to make things more difficult for the worker, constitutes persuasion and not coercion.

Here's the relevant portion of a lengthier piece she did on the Nevada caucuses after the fold.  

The piece in Salon
http://www.salon.com/...

The arrogance of politicians (all of them) really boggles my mind sometimes. Their insular, in the bubble, "I can get away with anything" attitude is astounding.

Today (Friday), Hillary Clinton is aggressively courting Culinary Workers Union members.

Yesterday (Thursday), her supporters were fighting to disenfranchise these same workers and her campaign, through Bill Clinton, was cheering on the effort!

I applaud the Nevada court ruling in shooting down the teacher's union law suit.  And yes, right now, it does appear to help Obama's campaign.  Seems like all the Obama supporters on this site are rightfully happy.  But I hate to be a wet blanket but. . . .

From today's Beyond Chron.

When asking Nevada culinary workers on Tuesday to ignore their union’s endorsement of Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton called his wife the insurgent in the race – and Obama the "establishment" candidate.  It was an odd statement, for nobody can seriously dispute that Hillary Clinton is the Democratic Party’s establishment choice.  And while UNITE-HERE, the Culinary Workers and Nevada SEIU have rallied behind Obama, hotel and casino executives are largely supporting Clinton.

What the ex-President meant to say was that culinary workers should make up their own mind -- regardless of what their union recommends.  But the Nevada teachers’ union (which supports Clinton) has ignored pleas from their own rank-and-file members to drop a lawsuit that, if successful, would prevent casino workers from voting in Saturday’s caucus.  The party decided months ago to have "at-large" precincts inside Las Vegas casinos, but now some Clinton partisans – including Bubba – want them shut down because attendees are likely to support Obama.

So after previously using a right wing approach to demean trial lawyers, Obama is now demonizing lawyers again. To a union crowd

Obama concluded by shouting "Are we gonna let a bunch of lawyers try to prevent us from bringing about change in America?"

Link

I find this willingness to use right wing attacks on attorneys very disconcerting.  

The rank and file members of the Nevada State Education Association (NSEA), the teachers themselves, have sent a letter to the union leaders asking them to drop the lawsuit, which was brought up two days after the endorsement of Obama by Culinary Workers Union. They say it is nothing but pure voter disenfranchisement on part of the leaders of the NSEA in support of Hillary Clinton.

Their letter to the leaders, many of which are noted Hillary Clinton supporters, can be read below the jump. In addition is the link to the report by Mark Halperin with Time Magazine here.

I'm a card carrying union gal, a proud member of the striking WGA ("We write. You wrong").  I learned about
respecting the power of the rank and file from my father who taught me never to cross a picket line, and from my own days of walking a line I learned to love the rank and file as brothers and sisters.  So every time a union endorses a candidate I pay special attention because I value the voices of union members.

Senator Obama received an important endorsement the day after he lost the New Hamphire primary.  The Culinary Workers Local 226 in Nevada announced that he was their candidate of choice.  I was impressed by the endorsement, and respectful of the 60,000 hard-working men and women who voted for it.  The rank and file had spoken, and Obama was their man, I thought.

Turns out I was wrong.

(Cross-posted at The Field.)

While the Sunday talk shows, most pundits and bloggers have been stuck on re-runs from the 2007 season all day (Race-baiting? The candidates’ Iraq war stances? Nothing new there, move along), the Nevada press increasingly sees the lawsuit by Clinton supporters against the state Democratic Party as the defining narrative in the Silver State.

Las Vegas Sun political reporter Patrick Coolican quotes Obama today with the Culinary Workers union:

"Ever since I got the support of Local 226, the lawyers decided to get involved. The rules were OK when the other campaigns thought they would win the Culinary endorsement," Obama said.

"As soon as you decided to support the outsider, the working people instead of the big shots, all the sudden they decided they wanted to change the rules."

Coolican adds:

“The lawsuit looks more and more like a miscalculation by the plaintiffs -- and their backers -- and a move that could unite the Culinary Union.”

More...

As a longtime lurker, I've been looking forward to writing some diaries now that my state of Nevada is finally getting some political loving. I'm really looking forward to going to my local caucus site, meeting my neighbors, and finally having my voice, however small, finally heard in the political arena. (Out west here, the races are often decided before I even get to vote.) But now, my opinion would finally count for something. Democracy in action.

I should've known better...

Principled leaders never vote present.  Never.  They "stand" for things.

Via Inside Nevada Politics, Clinton was asked if she supported the lawsuit filed to prevent casino employees from voting at their workplace as part of nine at-large precincts the Nevada Democratic party set up to try to enfranchise as many people as possible:

Asked about the lawsuit Clinton said:

"I know about the lawsuit. I hope it can be resolved by the courts and by the state party. Obviously, we want as many people as possible to participate."

In a later interview, I asked Clinton again about the lawsuit. She repeated her criticism of the caucus process, that it leaves too many people out and said she wants as many people as possible to participate. Does she support the lawsuit?

"I have no opinion on the lawsuit."

Does she have an opinion on the at-large precincts as a way to make the process more fair?

"I don't. I just don't know."

After watching Hillary lie her way through an hour-long interview on 'Meet the Press', I realize that I could not bring myself to vote for her in the General were she to win the Democratic nomination. This would be the first time in my 53 years that I sat out a Presidential election. But I could not in good conscience pull that lever.

For the past year, I was convinced that I would be happy with whatever candidate the Democratic Party nominated. I've voted for Hillary twice for the Senate. I've defended her in numerous political debates.

But I cannot support her again. Her campaign over the past few months has been one lie and distortion after another. The despicable personal attacks on Senator Obama by her husband and supporters have been repulsive.

Barack Obama has just received the endorsement of the Culinary Workers Union, according to ABC News.

ABC News' Teddy Davis and Sunlen Miller Report: Despite losing Tuesday's New Hampshire primary, Sen. Barack Obama secured the endorsement of the Culinary Workers union.

The endorsement of the 60,000-member Culinary Workers union is seen as the biggest get in Nevada, a state which votes Jan. 19.

At 11 p.m. E.T. on Tuesday, a 12-member panel which controls the 60,000-member Culinary Workers union held a conference call to decide which '08 candidate to endorse.

The panel making the decision is the executive committee of UNITE-HERE, Culinary's parent union.

"We believe that Obama is the candidate who can bring the country together and we are proud to support his candidacy," Shauna Hamel, Executive Vice President of the union says.

The backing of the 60,000-member union is seen as important because the state's Democratic Party is only expecting 40,000 Democrats to participate in the caucuses.

Culinary's members work in casinos up and down the Las Vegas Strip.

Check back on this diary for more updates...