Clinton, Gore speeches energize Nevada delegates

Suzanne Struglinski

Tuesday, July 27, 2004 | 9:28 a.m.

BOSTON -- It was a flashback Monday night for Democrats at their national convention as former President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore took the stage to call for one of their own party to return to the White House.

Nevada's delegates sat in the Fleet Center and watched as their previous nominee, their past president and a potential future contender -- Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y. -- took the stage.

While Democrats reveled in the past glory, they took a lesson from 2000.

Gore did not dance around the fact he lost the 2000 election.

"I'll be candid with you. I had hoped to be back here this week under different circumstances, running for re-election," Gore said. "But you know the old saying: you win some, you lose some. And then there's that little-known third category. I didn't come here tonight to talk about the past. After all, I don't want you to think I lie awake at night counting and recounting sheep."

But he hit a theme that has Democrats around the country, especially in states like Nevada where close vote margins in 2000 made a difference, paying attention. "Take it from someone who knows," he said. "Every vote counts."

Las Vegas delegate Ida Gaines said she liked Gore's repeated theme that every vote counts in the upcoming election.

"It set the direction; it got everyone all fired up and ready to go and take back America," said Gaines, who works for Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., in Las Vegas.

Democrats in Nevada have been making a huge push on voter registration and get-out-the-vote efforts.

Venicia Considine, a delegate from Las Vegas, said she liked that Gore had a "great attitude" and a "sense of humor" in his speech and another Las Vegas delegate Verlia Hoggard said she thought Gore was more animated during his speech than when he was vice president.

"Be sure to mention the kiss," said delegate Daniel Hinkley of Las Vegas. "I thought it was great."

Gore and wife, Tipper, embraced and kissed after his speech, playfully mimicking what is known as "the kiss" of the 2000 convention they shared before his acceptance speech at the convention in Los Angeles.

Hinkley said Bill Clinton's speech was "excellent as usual." He said Bill Clinton's repeated point that John Kerry volunteered for his military service resonated with him.

Bill Clinton said "During the Vietnam War, many young men -- including the current president, the vice president and me -- could have gone to Vietnam but didn't. John Kerry came from a privileged background and could have avoided it too. Instead he said, 'Send me.' "

Julie Whitacre, a Las Vegas delegate, said "people really responded" to the former president.

Hillary Clinton's speech outlined why the White House needs another Democratic president and why Kerry should be the one to fill the role and offered no inkling of her future aspirations.

Clinton insisted throughout the Democratic primary season that she was not running for president and wants to serve out her Senate term, which ends in 2008. It's not clear what she will do after that.

"If Kerry does not win, she will run," Hinkley predicted.

Whitacre said she would not be surprised if she did but think the party has other people, such as New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who would also run. Richardson was energy secretary during the Clinton administration.