Kerry to host public gathering Friday at Valley High School

Kirsten Searer

Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2004 | 9:39 a.m.

Sen. John Kerry will appear at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Valley High School, 2839 Burnham Ave. For information, call Kerry Campaign Headquarters, 870-6906.

Sen. John Kerry will come to Nevada on Friday, hosting a public gathering on the eve of Nevada's Democratic caucuses.

Kerry certainly has momentum after racking up solid wins Tuesday in Virginia and Tennessee, and his supporters in Nevada said they think he will be welcomed here, largely because of his record of voting against Yucca Mountain.

Organizers are planning to host at least 750 people at the "Rally for America's Future," which will be held at 7:30 Friday at Valley High School, said Kerry spokeswoman Summer Oesch. The public is invited, and no tickets are needed in advance, she said.

Kerry also will greet voters outside of Chaparral High School, 3850 Annie Oakley Drive, before the 9 a.m. Clark County caucus on Saturday.

So far, Kerry is the only candidate to announce he will come to Nevada. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich is planning a live video feed with supporters on Friday afternoon. But neither Sen. John Edwards nor former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean have a trip planned so far, supporters said.

"As of now, it's not on the schedule," said Justin Gilbert, Edwards' Nevada coordinator. But, Gilbert said, "schedules change minute to minute."

Instead of visits, much of this week's campaigning is centering on making phone calls to registered Democrats who are eligible to attend Saturday's caucus.

Kerry volunteers working the phones have confirmed between 400 and 500 people to vote for him at the caucus on Saturday, Oesch said. The Dean for America site lists 240 confirmed votes for the Nevada caucus.

At the Tap Room on Tuesday night, Kerry supporters gathered once again to watch election returns from Virginia and Tennessee and to celebrate their candidate's upcoming visit to Nevada.

"You're seeing a candidate that is building momentum," said Kerry supporter Bill Stanley, an international organizer with the International Union of Elevator Constructors. "The snowball is growing and growing and growing."

Many Kerry supporters in Nevada point to his record of voting against Yucca Mountain. Stanley said he likes the fact that Kerry has opposed the proposed nuclear waste repository near Las Vegas.

"He's not a Johnny-come-lately," Stanley said. "For 17 years, he's supported Sen. (Harry) Reid and the citizens of Nevada."

Fellow Kerry supporter John Hunt, who ran an unsuccess state attorney general bid in 2002, said he thinks Kerry should emphasize his Yucca Mountain position while he is in Nevada.

"I want him to say he'll do anything possible to oppose Yucca Mountain," Hunt said.