LAS VEGAS, NV (January 19, 2008) – The Democratic Caucus at the North Rainbow Library was probably no different than most of the caucus sites in Nevada.

The two precincts here chose Hillary Clinton 4-to-3 and 5-to-2 over Barack Obama, mirroring the rest of the state. I attended as an observer. We’re 25 miles from The Strip in a predominantly middle class, white area of Las Vegas.

Folks were very polite to me and to each other despite the atmosphere of a doctor’s waiting room at times. I saw little inter-party rancor; the Clinton and Obama campaigns should take note.

Clearly everyone here was a Democrat first. The only minor exception was an African American college student who sat next to me and said he was for Obama, but if Obama didn’t get the nomination he might switch to McCain. The few Hispanic voters that I could detect in this caucus site were seated for Hillary. The majority of blacks lined up under the Obama sign.

However, there were a sizable minority of African Americans sitting on Hillary’s side. An older African American gentleman, who wouldn’t give me his name, said Hillary has “the experience.” He told me he was an Army veteran for 26 years and he thinks Hillary’s plan to gradually retreat from Iraq made more sense.

He said his second choice would have been Edwards. So, that allowed me to ask the “race” question. Why would a black man not consider Obama? He gave me that quizzical look, the kind I saw as a reporter when I asked an obviously dumb question to get that perfect reaction sound bite. And his sound bite was brilliant. “Pigmentation plays no part in my life.”

And there were a representative number of young, white women who sided with Obama. Although Renee, who wouldn’t give me her last name, admitted she had only decided on Obama this morning after conferring with friends. “I think he can bridge the gap that divides this country.”

That gave me the opportunity to ask the gender question. Why wouldn’t she back a woman whose generation helped usher opportunities for today’s younger women? “I identify with her,” Renee said, meaning Hillary, “but I don’t think all African Americans should have to vote for an African American.”

The peaceful schisms also happened inside families. Anthony and Rachel Santos, a young married couple, sat in different camps: he was for Barack and she was for Hillary.

Anthony thought Obama’s statement the night before about his major weakness of “being late” helped win him over. He thought Barack was more honest with the answer while the other candidates gave self-serving answers that never answered the question.

Rachel, meanwhile, believes Hillary would make change faster – especially with universal health care. Ironically, Anthony thought what affected Rachel was Hillary’s “emotional moment” in New Hampshire, but then he told me, “You better get that from her.” Rachel made no mention of it. But clearly, there would be no Barney Miller moment in this family on Election Day.

As a decades-long observer of politics, two things are clear. First, most people choose a candidate based on emotion or a personal perception – not a clear thought out diagnosis of the issues. Second, what a great country! I don’t want to get misty here. But I thought about this event while sitting there and watching what to many is something quite mundane. But here’s what I keep telling myself: We civilly decide who our leaders will be and “pigmentation” and hormones seem to have less dominance as time goes on.

Still, one thing – that relates to race — floored me.

It came from Phyllis Beecher, a Hillary devotee. She’s middle-age and, more importantly for this story, African American. I eavesdropped on Phyllis’ failed attempt to sway David Harrington, an Edwards’ supporter. Edwards’ supporters here did not have enough votes so they had to decide whether Hillary or Barack would be their second choice.

Phyllis was very complimentary about Edwards and Obama. She quickly articulated her belief in Hillary’s experience. But then she went where I never thought she would go. If Obama wins, she said, “We don’t want a repeat of the Robert Kennedy, JFK thing.”

The Robert Kennedy, JFK thing? Wow. Wait a minute. Did I hear that right? Was she talking about assassination? Was she raising the issue that most of us thought but never mentioned? She was raising the issue that the first black President would be the target of a killer?

Sure I thought about the horror of this, but I hadn’t heard anyone say it out loud in a public venue.

Later I spoke to Phyllis and she told me that’s exactly what she meant. “And Martin Luther King, too. It might happen to him,” she said of Obama whom she says she has great fondness. And in a motherly tone, “I’m afraid for him. There are unstable people in society. We don’t need that to happen.”

Phyllis, however, explained her fear of whacko white supremacists is not the main reason she’s supporting Hillary over Barack. “She’s ready to go on day one.”

Her argument, though, had no effect on David Harrington, the Edwards supporter who eventually stood with the Obama folks. I asked him later what he thought when she mentioned it. He actually told me that he misunderstood what she said. But he said, “In this day and age, I doubt it could happen.” Another Clinton supporter, Roger Harris, agreed. He told me if killers could get to a president then, “George Bush would be long gone.”

Let’s hope their confidence in presidential security is equal to the post 9/11 reality. I hope I don’t have to refer to this column again.

However, I do hope I get to cover another caucus. This was more fun than a primary. As a community, folks got to stand up and publicly offer their choice – even if it was just standing up and saying anything. For me, I got to hear the voters. In a primary, the voters might not tell you how they really voted. Remember New Hampshire.

I didn’t go to the GOP caucus because it was a lay-down to Mitt Romney.

Did Nevada make any decision in the elections?

No. Wait until February 5..

 

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