McCain decides to skip visit on sports betting

Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2000 | 10:36 a.m.

Arizona Sen. John McCain will not step into the lion's den of sports book operators after all, but he is still in Las Vegas today to address a group of veterans.

McCain was scheduled to attend an afternoon gathering at the home of longtime Las Vegas Sports Book operator Vic Salerno, president of American Wagering Inc., but canceled when he was informed that the event was solely to lobby him on his controversial bill to outlaw betting on college sports.

"It was a communications problem -- more of a problem of not having enough time to plan -- not something sinister," said Josh Griffin, spokesman for state Sen. Jon Porter, a Republican congressional candidate supported by McCain, R-Ariz. "He (McCain) felt uncomfortable, and that is understandable."

Gore via satellite

George Becker, president of the United Steelworkers of America today announced that Vice President Al Gore will address 3,000 leaders of union locals via satellite Thursday at the union's 30th convention at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The USWA endorsed Gore as the Democratic nominee for president last October.

Arrangements have been made to transmit the broadcast live on the Internet. Register at uswa.org/convention2000.html.