SNEAK PEEK: Democrats Prep for Vegas Debate

November 14, 2007— -- The Democratic '08ers head West Thursday for an 8:00 pm ET debate which will be televised on what John McCain's campaign manager calls the"Clinton News Network."

Thursday's Dust-Up in the Desert is the first Democratic debate in Nevada this cycle.

But the state's powerful Culinary Union does not expect the Wolf Blitzer-moderated affair to be determinative in its endorsement process.

"We're not going to make an endorsement off of one sound bite in one debate," Pilar Weiss, the Culinary Union's political director, told ABC News.

Weiss says the endorsement of her 60,000-member union, which promises to do phones, mail, and door-to-door for its chosen candidate, will ultimately turn on the candidates' records and "what we have heard in person."

As for the timing of an endorsement, Weiss is non-committal.

She will only say that it will come "after Thanksgiving but before the Nevada caucuses," which are scheduled for Jan. 19.

(Nevada Democratic Party sources think the most likely time is early December).

Here is how Jon Ralston -- the state's David Yepsen -- recently handicapped the union's endorsement from his perch high above the Vegas strip (the 112th floor of The Stratosphere to be exact).

"I think they want to go with the winner, and I think they're going to determine the winner," Ralston told PBS' Judy Woodruff during his Tuesday appearance on PBS' NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

"The polling here has shown Hillary Clinton well ahead," Ralston added. "However, Barack Obama has been very organized and has made several visits to the Culinary folks to make his case. So I think that that endorsement is still wide open."

Key issues for the Culinary Union include health care, home foreclosures, water resources, the war in Iraq, and the right to organize.

Immediately following the two-hour debate, the Democratic '08ers attend the Clark County Democratic Party's annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner at the Paris Hotel.

Clinton will be joined at the dinner by Rory Reid, the Clark County Commissioner and son of Harry Reid who is backing her candidacy.