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  Road to the End Zone: Clinton Wins Nevada Caucus, Obama Vows to Fight On

Road to the End Zone Clinton Wins Nevada Caucus, Obama Vows to Fight On

By Marc Pitzke in Las Vegas

Part 2: Steaks and Tips

The actual election process is no less chaotic. Party functionary Cindi Pederson, who is leading the meeting, screams instructions into a microphone, which are then translated into Spanish by an interpreter. "You all are making history today," she cries. "You're claiming your freedom of choice."

Just how free their expression is, is debatable, however. Even before the vote, rumors were circulating about attempts at intimidation, from both sides and not just in the Bellagio. For many people, it is the first time that they are actively taking part in democracy.

Four Choices of Steak and Juicy Tips

The official counting in the hall determines that 495 voters are present. Pederson calls on the people to distribute themselves according to their candidate: John Edwards on the left, Clinton in the middle, Obama on the right. The result is several minutes' worth of pushing and shoving, accompanied by calls of "Obama" and "Hillary." Six people who are undecided are the subject of loud attempts to make them join one side or another. "I'll take over your early shift," one Obama supporter promises an indecisive colleague.

The Bellagio result foreshadows the result for the whole of Nevada: Clinton gets 271 votes, Obama 191, Edwards eight. Elsewhere on the Strip, the vote is closer. Clinton wins with 121 to 120 in the Flamingo and with 189 to 187 in the Wynn, while in Caesars Palace Obama wins with 86 to 80. So much fuss about so few votes: Given the total number of votes of Nevada, the Strip is ultimately very insignificant.

The fact that the Bellagio favors Clinton has perhaps also to do with the fact that she is staying here in a luxury suite. Bill Clinton has even personally made the rounds in the casino catacombs and ordered a dinner with four varieties of steak to be sent to the suite for himself and 20 friends -- including, so the story goes, some pretty juicy tips.

According to election surveys, Clinton's strength in Nevada proved to be women and Latinos. Obama, who secured the majority of the African-American vote, was hampered by old resentments between minorities.

'How the West Was Won'

But he was also hampered by his own mistakes. In an interview, he praised the Republican icon Ronald Reagan as a visionary -- certainly the last thing Democrats wanted to hear. The Clinton team lost no time in distributing Obama's words everywhere, and convened a telephone conference with reporters, in which prominent party people were allowed to express their indignation.

"This has been an effective campaign," said Clinton at her victory party at the Planet Hollywood casino. "I guess this is how the West was won." Obama insists in a brief statement that, despite taking second place, he had the majority of party delegates, thanks to the complicated caucus rules. And Edwards, who with 3.8 percent experienced a devastating result in Nevada, continues to refuse to admit defeat. "The nomination won't be decided by win-loss records, but by delegates, and we're ready to fight for every delegate," he said.

And so the bitter duel continues. Clinton is looking ahead to the next round on Saturday, the Democratic primary in the southern state of South Carolina, from a position of strength. But for Obama, the state is still not lost. He is counting on the vote of African-Americans in South Carolina, who make up nearly a third of the total electorate. And then on Feb. 5 there is "Tsunami Tuesday," in which 22 states will vote.

In the Bellagio, the excitement is over after less than an hour. Some workers embrace, others look crestfallen, then they all return to their work. Next door, in the Monet Ballroom, the next round of fun is about to start: a slot tournament called "Road to the End Zone," top prize $125,000. The line of hopefuls is even longer than it was at the caucus.

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