Power of Culinary Union hangs in balance as its protege Kihuen tries to break Obama hold

By Jon Ralston

Friday, Jan. 11, 2008 | 2:10 a.m.

The media surged forward, surrounding Sen. Hillary Clinton and Assemblyman Ruben Kihuen, as they walked along 22nd Street in eastern Las Vegas in a neighborhood dominated by Hispanics and heavily populated with Culinary Union workers.

An intense look on his face, an emphatic tone in his voice, Kihuen sought to reassure the presidential hopeful the union that had created him as a politician was not a potent, monolithic force that could destroy her chances here.

“I cannot emphasize to you enough, Senator, how the Hispanic workers in the Culinary are loyal to you,” Kihuen whispered. “They are loyal to the Culinary, but they will vote for you.”

In that brief moment, amid a spectacle never before seen in a valley neighborhood, on the first day of an unprecedented battle for Nevada, both the stakes and the ironies became clear.

Here was a presidential hopeful — who had lost the Democratic Party’s most important endorsement a day earlier to Sen. Barack Obama — alighting in the state and diving right into the heart of Culinary country for votes. And here was the definitive local rising Democratic star sending a message to a union that united to almost single-handedly elect him last cycle that he was intent on dividing that organization for the greater purpose of electing Clinton as president.

To see Kihuen stick a thumb in the eye of his patrons and begin an attempt to divide the Hispanic community — and split the subset of Latinos who work in the union — surely will produce wounds that could rip apart the core of the party here.

And yet this caucus, which could change the direction of the presidential race and one day be seen as the turning point, can’t be anything but salutary for the party’s registration and energy — despite the rifts created by the Cinton-Obama contest, with the seeds planted by the Clinton-Kihuen foray into Culinary country Thursday afternoon.

I have little doubt that when Culinary leaders read what Kihuen said to Clinton on that street, where his political dreams were realized in 2006, they will be furious and even more energized. But the tableau that played out on 22nd Street illustrates the question that will determine the outcome of the caucus:

Can the Culinary hold its membership to its Obama endorsement (and turn it out) by acknowledging members might support Clinton but urging them to put union loyalty above their candidate affinity?

The “It’s the union above all else” pitch began Wednesday when Secretary-Treasurer D. Taylor announced the Obama endorsement. He praised all the candidates but made it clear that his members value union solidarity above all. Or do they?

If they don’t, the union’s endorsement will be diluted and its impact Jan. 19 will not be nearly so great. If Kihuen can help divide the Hispanic community, especially the Hispanic Culinary population, Clinton has a much better chance to win the caucus that the union tilted toward Obama this week.

Clinton knows this. Obama knows this. And you can be sure Taylor knows this.

If this one neighborhood is emblematic, Clinton should bring the Iowa and New Hampshire model back every day of the campaign for Nevada. The residents — from octogenarians to young children — were in awe of her presence. And she realizes dividing and conquering has to be done one vote at a time. As residents came up to her to gush, she took it in, smiling and making each one feel special. As soon as they finished, though, she would grab an aide to make sure the potential voters received a caucus packet.

It wasn’t all spontaneous — Kihuen had canvassed the neighborhood for Clinton on Thursday morning to soften the beaches. But the almost surreal attention to a neighborhood generally ignored by most important state politicians had an impact — and methinks it could be lasting.

The almost Shakespearean tragedy — or is it the stuff of Mary Shelley? — playing out between Kihuen and his creators is fascinating to watch. But it pales in comparison with the very real drama of the Culinary’s attempt to reinforce its dominance in Democratic Party politics here and the very real possibility that its success or failure could determine the course of a presidential race.