Hillary raises Yucca issue in Nevada

“It doesn’t just fall on the wealthiest of Americans,” she said. “You can find people here in Las Vegas who would be affected.”

She cited a North Las Vegas police captain, a school superintendent and public service workers living in “high wage and high cost areas” such as New York.

“They would see their taxes go up two, three thousand dollars,” she said. “I think there are better approaches to solving the long-term challenges that we face in Social Security.”

Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina said last night the mailer sounded like the “politics of scare tactics,” and he blasted Mrs. Clinton for not taking a stand on Social Security.

“I have sat beside her in so many forums and debates now. … I’ve heard her answer the question 30 times, and I have no idea what she would do,” he said at a carpenters union hall here.

“She says she’s not going to cut benefits, she”s not going to raise the retirement age and she won”t raise taxes. Well, I’m sorry, those are the options. She’s just not willing to take a position.”

Mr. Edwards says he would change the payroll tax to target people earning more than $200,000.

The Clinton campaign also leveled charges that Mr. Obama’s newest television ad saying he would pass universal health care is dishonest since his plan does not mandate insurance coverage as hers does.

A Nevada pediatrician argued that Mr. Obama’s claim “is really not accurate” and lauded Mrs. Clinton’s plan as “truly universal.”

Mr. Obama has told voters the difference in their plans is minimal and says his plan makes health care more affordable.

Also yesterday, the Democratic National Committee intervened in a lawsuit that threatened the state party’s established rules for Saturday’s caucus. A federal court will hear the case today and decide whether casino workers can participate in the caucus via at-large precincts set up along the Las Vegas Strip.

The nine at-large sites were approved by the state party in March and ratified by the DNC last fall, but a teachers union and several Democrats sued to shut them down, arguing they would allocate too many delegates and discount delegates from more rural areas.

Some Obama supporters think the lawsuit was only brought to try and diminish the influence of his endorsement from the culinary workers union, which boasts thousands of strip workers as members.