Fox News’ Henry says Biden leaning toward run

Vice President Joe Biden stayed home Tuesday, but he may not be on the sidelines for long.

Ed Henry, senior White House correspondent for Fox News, reported Tuesday before the five-way debate among Democratic presidential candidates in Las Vegas that Biden is leaning toward joining the race.

Henry told the Review-Journal that one of Biden's top fundraisers "confided to me that based on his conversations with the VP, he's likely to get in but is still uncertain on timing. He'll of course shake up the race if he jumps in, but he's not a sure bet."

Don't count out Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, who has slipped in the polls, said Henry, who covers Clinton's campaign.

"She's taken hits before and sometimes is at her best when she's under fire," Henry added. "In 2008, Barack Obama kept beating her, and she kept getting off the canvas."

Henry knows his way around Las Vegas. He married CNN senior producer Shirley Hung at the Wynn Las Vegas chapel in 2010 after purchasing a condo in the downtown residential tower Newport Lofts.

He tweeted Monday: "Nice to be king — Steve Wynn was just driven by media row @WynnLasVegas & was leaning slightly outta passenger window of SUV smoking stogie."

Debate notes

There was buzz that singing legend Wayne Newton was calling around for a ticket to the debate. His odds weren't good with the Democratic organizers. Not after endorsing Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump last week on Fox News and labeling Obama as "the worst president ever." …

Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide, is easy to please when it comes to a post-debate nosh. La Cave Wine and Food Hideaway at Wynn received a reservation for a Zucker party of 50, contingent upon La Cave having lollipop chicken and calamari. Chef Bill DeMarco rushed off to a supermarket to stock up. ...

Wynn opened the $1.6 billion, 3,026-room Bellagio hotel-casino 17 years ago Thursday. He sold it to MGM Mirage, now MGM Resorts International, in 2000 to buy the Desert Inn and build Wynn Las Vegas, which opened April 28, 2005. ...

Andy Roddick served up a political zinger during the Myland Team Tennis Smash Hits auction Monday inside Omnia nightclub at Caesars. Roddick was seated on a stage among the tennis players and hosts when a fan yelled, "Andy Roddick for president!"

The stone-faced Roddick replied, "Could be worse. Could be Trump." The star-studded event, co-hosted by Elton John and Billy Jean King, raised more than $1 million to battle AIDS.

Oscar winner Natalie Portman, who campaigned here for Obama in 2012, will star as former first lady Jackie Kennedy in the film "Jackie." Portman won her best actress Oscar for her role in "Black Swan."

The scene and heard

The Lon Bronson All-Star Band celebrates its 25th anniversary at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday with shows at 7 and 10 p.m. Drew Carey and Penn Jillette join the party for the 10 p.m. show.

On this day

Oct. 14, 2008: The annual PGA stop in Las Vegas is reborn as the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. Timberlake and girlfriend Jessica Biel were inseparable that week. They married Oct. 19, 2012, in Italy.

Sightings

Kobe Bryant, with a group in a private dining room at STK in The Cosmopolitan on Monday. ... Actor Channing Tatum, in the audience at Mat Franco's magic show at The Linq on Monday. ... DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo and Rudy Gay of the Sacramento Kings, checking out Marquee in The Cosmopolitan on Monday. ... CNN anchor Don Lemon and former Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, cruising the Strip on Monday in a 1968 Mustang for a CNN segment. ... "Bar Rescue" consultant Jon Taffer and Rick Harrison of "Pawn Stars," having lunch at Rick's Rollin' Smoke BBQ at Pawn Plaza on Tuesday. ... Magic Johnson's son, EJ, dining with friends at Tao in The Venetian. The punch line

"You serve so much harder on TV." — Andre Agassi, talking smack to Roddick while facing off on Monday.

— Norm Clarke's column appears Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He can be reached at 702-383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find more online at www.normclarke.com. On Twitter: @Norm_Clarke