Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, the first Democrat to launch an official bid for the party's 2008 presidential nomination, speaks to party loyalists Sunday at the Richard Tam Alumni Center on the UNLV campus. About 75 people attended. Photos by Louie Traub/Review-Journal Democratic Party volunteer Lynn Richards hands campaign stickers for Tom Vilsack to 6-year-old Antonio and his 5-year-old brother, Tomas, before Vilsack's speech Sunday at UNLV. Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, the first Democrat to launch an official bid for the party's 2008 presidential nomination, speaks to party loyalists Sunday at the Richard Tam Alumni Center on the UNLV campus. About 75 people attended.

Three days after becoming the first Democrat to declare officially for his party's 2008 presidential nomination, Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack delivered a 45-minute speech Sunday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, highlighting his alternative energy record, his call for change in Iraq policy and his life story.

About 75 party faithful were present for the first of many Democratic candidates expected to woo Nevada, and he told them that, for environmental and national security reasons, he wants to help the nation use more alternative energy: ethanol using Iowa corn and solar and wind power in Nevada, for example.

He also emphasized that he wants U.S. troops out of Iraq, but he did not give a timetable.

The 55-year-old also brought up his past as an orphan adopted by a Pittsburgh family with an alcoholic mother who left when he was young.

The speech was his fifth visit to the state in the past year, he said. But it was his first attempt at courting Nevada voters since his Thursday announcement of his presidential bid.

After announcing his candidacy in Iowa last week, Vilsack visited New Hampshire and Pittsburgh, then came to Nevada.

Nevada Democrats find themselves newly desirable. Earlier this year, the Silver State's caucus was moved to second in the Democratic presidential nomination calendar. The caucus in Nevada is expected to play a key role in determining the party's nominee.

After Vilsack's speech and a brief speech by his wife, Christy, he answered questions from audience members and the media, including what might be Nevada's litmus-test query: What's your view on the proposal to make Yucca Mountain the nation's nuclear dump?

"I support Senator (Harry) Reid," Vilsack said, adding that too many questions surround the science that has been used to proclaim that Yucca Mountain, 100 miles northwest of Las Vegas, is a safe place to put the deadly waste.

"We don't know what the science is behind it, and I don't see how I could be in favor of that until we do."

He said he didn't have a good alternative to Yucca Mountain but figures improving nuclear efficiency would reduce the amount of waste.

As for Iraq, he said he thought the continuing heavy presence of U.S. troops has led to that country's dependence on American forces.

"We have created a culture of dependency. We've created a crutch and an excuse," he said. "I would take troops out of the southern part of that country as well as the central part, Baghdad, as soon as feasible."

If the moderate governor came looking for a promise of support, those in the audience seemed to view him with the eyes of a woman who suddenly finds herself sought after -- and wants to see what other suitors come calling.

"It was comfortable. Not disappointing, just comfortable," said Otistine Brown of Las Vegas, who attended the speech. "This whole format was interesting. I look forward to hearing a whole lot of candidates here."

"I'm not going to jump in at this point," said Dwayne Chesnut, who led the volunteer organization for state Sen. Dina Titus' failed gubernatorial bid.

"At some point, it'll take a core group of people to get on board with a candidate and work their butt off to get them elected," he said.

Titus met privately with Vilsack and other Democratic leaders before she introduced him to the crowd.

"I really like what the governor has to say about renewable energy and the need for early education," Titus said.

Vilsack lacks the name recognition enjoyed by other possible candidates, such as Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, Barack Obama of Illinois and John Kerry of Massachusetts, and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson. One way Vilsack might be able to build up more name recognition is to tout the compelling story of his childhood, some political pundits have said, and Vilsack did that Sunday.

"I was adopted into a loving, if troubled, home," he told his Las Vegas audience, explaining how his mother battled drug and alcohol addiction and attempted suicide. She left when he was a child, and he was raised by his father.

"Even though we moved from a big house to a little house to a duplex to an apartment, something magical happened," he said. "My mom summoned up the courage to change her life."

She kicked drugs and alcohol, and "she allowed the family to get back together. She taught me something important about the courage to create change ... No matter what the obstacle is, you can overcome it. No matter how big a challenge is, you can do it."