LAS VEGAS — Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made an early appearance Monday evening in Sin City ahead of Tuesday’s first Democratic debate at the luxurious Wynn hotel. There, she joined a protest across the Strip by the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, which is trying to organize the workers at the Trump International Hotel.
The Trump, a five-star property owned by Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, dominates the local skyline.
Hillary Clinton is attempting to highlight her ties to organized labor, as unions flirt with the idea of endorsing self-declared “democratic socialist” Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), or Vice President Joe Biden (should he enter the race). Sanders leads Clinton by a wide margin in New Hampshire, as she has struggled with scandals surrounding her handling of classified government emails on a private server at her residence.
Sanders and Clinton share top billing for the debate, their images flashing incongruously over Las Vegas Boulevard among ads for Cirque du Soleil, burlesque shows, and high-end restaurants. The Wynn is owned by Steve Wynn, who has supported Democrats but is a Republican, as is fellow casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, a high-dollar donor to Republican causes who owns the Venetian casino and resort just a short walk away down the Strip.
Clinton slammed Trump at the rally: “Some people say Donald Trump is entertaining,” she said, according to the New York Times. “I don’t think it’s entertaining when someone insults immigrants, when someone insults women.” Other participants in Tuesday night’s debate, hosted by CNN and Facebook, will be former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, former Rhode Island governor Lincoln Chafee, and former Sen. James Webb of Virginia.