Clinton picks up support from union
LAS VEGAS - Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday accepted the endorsement from a 230,000-member union and appeared at a rally with a young Hispanic lawmaker who promised her ground support in the early caucus state.
After addressing a gathering of sheet metal, air, rail and transportation workers for the soon-to-be-merged SMART union, Clinton spoke at a rally at a high school in a largely Hispanic district of North Las Vegas, with the support of the first Hispanic immigrant elected to the Nevada legislature, Assemblyman Ruben Kihuen.
"We wanted to show the diversity of America and I'm proud to have so much Latino support," Clinton said at Rancho High School.
Kihuen, a 27-year-old freshman lawmaker elected a year ago, hinted at the organizational muscle he would lend Clinton, declaring he would round up people for door-to-door canvassing immediately after the rally. He spoke in Spanish and English to the crowd of several hundred.
SMART, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, will merge the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association and the United Transportation Union in January.
Romney promises to punish states lax on illegal immigration
HENDERSON, Nev. - Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Saturday promised to cut federal funding for cities and states that he considers tolerant of illegal immigration, though he said he was unsure how deep the cuts would be.
The former Massachusetts governor repeated his plans to deny funding to sanctuary cities, states that issue driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and states that allow the children of illegal immigrants to receive in-state tuition discounts at universities.
"They are practices that, if you will, extend this sanctuary state of mind we have," Romney told more than 200 people gathered at a public library. "I like immigration - legal immigration."
Romney also outlined a plan for an employment verification card that, he said, would make it easy for companies to determine a prospective employee's citizenship status before hiring.
McCain calls for permitting the importation of prescription drugs from Canada
CANAAN, Vt. - Republican presidential contender John McCain on Saturday said he wants to again allow the importation of prescription drugs from Canada as a way to bring health care costs under control.
The Arizona senator, speaking to reporters about a mile from the Canadian border and just across the river from New Hampshire, said too much of health care costs are based on high drug prices.
"Drug companies and the lobbyists they pay in Washington want to keep your drug prices high. Obviously, I want them to be affordable," McCain said, returning to his criticism of how Washington works.
Until drugs are cheaper, the cost of health care is going to skyrocket, helping to bankrupt Medicare and Medicaid, McCain said.
"If we are going to control health care cost, we need to control the rising costs of pharmaceuticals," McCain said, adding that drug prices are 16 percent to 60 percent cheaper in Canada and are to blame for rising insurance premiums.
"A person taking a standard blood-thinner, the savings could be over $200 a year. If your problem is heartburn, it could be $750. For treating depression, as much as $1,400 a year," he said.
McCain noted his rivals do not support drug reimportation programs.
Obama continues not-so-subtle jabs during quick Texas stop
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama continued his not-so-subtle criticisms of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, during a quick fundraising jaunt to the Texas capital Saturday.
In an obvious, albeit unspoken, reference to the Clinton campaign, Obama said "triangulating and poll testing positions because we're worried about what (Republican candidates) Mitt (Romney) or Rudy (Giuliani) might say about us just won't do."
It was one of a series of veiled jabs at the New York senator during the $25-a-ticket fundraiser at a chilly and soggy outdoor event west of Austin.
"If we're serious about winning this election, then we can't be afraid of losing it," he said. "This party ... has always been at its best when we led not with polls but with principles, not with calculation but with conviction, when we summoned the entire nation around a common purpose, a higher purpose. I'm in the race because I am tired of Democrats thinking that the only way to look tough on national security is to act and talk and vote like George Bush Republicans."
Obama also attended private fundraisers in Austin and Houston on Saturday.
While Texas isn't a hot campaign state yet because of its later primary, presidential candidates have been flocking here to raise money, making it one of the top three fundraising states for presidential candidates, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.
According to the most recent campaign finance reports, Texans have given $20.7 million to Republican and Democratic candidates, with Giuliani raking in the most Texas cash.
Obama ranks fifth, behind Clinton statewide, but leads in cash from the Austin-San Marcos area.
Information for this article was contributed by The Associated Press.