Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2007 | 7:03 a.m.
CARSON CITY - Carson City hasn't seen this much excitement maybe since local chap George Washington Gale Ferris invented a certain carnival ride over a century ago.
The town is tittering with anticipation over the appearance of eight Democratic candidates at the nation's first forum for the 2008 presidential race. The last presidential candidate to visit Carson City was John F. Kennedy, who spoke to the Legislature during his 1960 campaign, Nevada historian Michael Green said.
The White House hopefuls started descending on the state capital Tuesday, starting with an appearance by Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden at a local coffee shop.
Biden, who spent the better part of an hour at Comma Coffee taking questions and working a standing-room-only crowd of students and seniors, got big applause simply for expressing his opposition to the Iraq war.
Speaking over hissing latte machines, Biden dished with the crowd on veterans benefits, Middle East diplomacy, health insurance, the minimum wage, global warming and immigration. He even tackled Yucca Mountain.
("I voted against it three or four time already," he said. The crowd erupted.)
Making his way out the door, one woman desperately worked to catch him for an autograph. "I could just kiss that man," she said. And she did.
Locals are clearly basking in the spotlight that is being shined on this small Nevada town, a place where small diners, family restaurants and sewing centers still exist.
"No one ever comes here," said Barbara Singer, recreation superintendent at the Carson City Community Center, the venue for today's forum. Residents have been jamming the phone lines offering to volunteer for the event just to get a glimpse of the presidential candidates, she said.
"People are offering to pour water for a ticket," she said.
Until today, the biggest event in town this year was a talent show for the local high school. Next month the community center will host the town's 13th annual "Cowboy Jubilee and Poetry."
June Joplin, owner of Comma Coffee, said Biden's visit was the biggest event her business had ever hosted, even topping a performance by Stephen Stills on Nevada Day last year. "This is big," she said. "It's really exciting."
Don Luark, a 62-year-old retired steel worker who attended the Biden event, said he looked forward to hearing more candidates.
"It's time for Nevada to start taking its place in national politics," Luark said. "It's time for working people to have a say."
Talk of the forum hadn't reached Red's Old 395 Grill by late Tuesday afternoon, though. Bartender Joey Sheeketski said he had just learned about the presidential visits from a local television news report Monday night.
While politics normally isn't the topic of the day at Red's, Sheeketski said he had been hearing a lot about Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and "some guy named Osama."
He said he was hoping for a visit from Clinton before the candidates leave.
"We want to see Hillary," he said.
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