By Tiffany Brown

Sun, Feb 11, 2007 (7:15 a.m.)

"I wanted that room to be for Democrats, and to be for reflection and serious thought about policy, and I think that picture shows that," Senate Majority Leader Dina Titus said of the poster hanging in her conference room at the Legislature Building in Carson City. "It's a place where we support each other, and they're supporting one another. Nobody could look at that photo and not think of great Democrats."

The picture by photographer Hank Walker is of Robert and John F. Kennedy discussing who the future president should choose as his running mate in the summer of 1960. It was taken at a hotel in Los Angeles the night before the start of the Democratic Convention. At that meeting, they decided on Lyndon B. Johnson. Although Titus does not remember seeing the photo published in Life magazine that same year, it remains symbolic for her.

"I adjusted very quickly" after the election, Titus said, referring to her defeat in the race for governor last year. The Democratic caucus "met and talked about our focus, and we're moving forward. That's what you have to do."

tiffany.brown@lasvegassun.com