Nevada can make a ‘huge difference’ in race

Suzanne Struglinski

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 | 9:31 a.m.

BOSTON -- Nevada should just officially change its slogan from Battle Born to Battleground.

The pleas to the state continued this morning to ensure the state goes to John Kerry in his bid for the White House.

Ed Sullivan, president of the Building and Construction Trade Department of the AFL-CIO, said the union will be sending "reinforcements to Nevada to make it a solid blue (Democrat) in November."

"Nevada can make a huge difference in November," Sullivan said.

The union aims to mobilize hundreds of volunteers for voter registration and voter turnout.

Meanwhile, a press conference scheduled for Thursday is set to talk about how the campaign expects to win the Western states.

NO NADER: Elizabeth Holtzman, a former congresswoman from New York City, wants to makes sure states where Ralph Nader is trying to get on the ballot have the legal resources they need to stop him.

"If we do our work now, Ralph Nader won't be a problem," she said. "We need to stop Nader from stealing the election from the Democrats."

Nader, of course, was key in the 2000 election taking away votes that Democrats thought would go to the Democratic nominee and then-vice president, Al Gore.

Holtzman made sure to emphasize that she is not affiliated with the Kerry campaign.

CELEBRITY OF THE DAY: This morning, actor and director Rob Reiner made the rounds to the breakfasts of some swing-state delegations, reminding delegates what to tell voters about Kerry.

"Who do you want in the foxhole with you? Do you want someone that has seen live combat or someone that sat for seven minutes and read 'My Pet Goat,' " Reiner said, referring to a scene from Michael Moore's film "Fahrenheit 9/11" when President Bush learned of the terrorist attacks.

"You're assuming he read it," someone in the crowd said.

ALL WET: It is raining today, but no umbrellas can be brought into the Fleet Center under the strict security rules. Plastic rain ponchos are the rage, but area drugstores appear to be running out. Ponchos are, surprisingly, about the one thing that convention volunteers don't have to give out. But they have nearly everything else in their pockets, including brochures of where to eat. The delegates may be wet, but they'll be well fed.

WHO NEEDS SLEEP?: After a day full of political speeches and events, the big debate on the buses ferrying delegates from the convention to their hotels Fleet Center is: sleep or party? Most delegates start their day by 8 a.m. for breakfast with their state delegation. From there, it's seminars, speeches or events before the convention starts for the day. The convention floor speeches usually end around 11 p.m. or later with concerts, cocktail parties and parties following afterward.

Conversations on the bus rides focus on how much sleep is really needed as the delegates try to find a way to fit in another party or a chance to see a favorite celebrity or politician.