Obama circulates, mingles at union-sponsored party

Devon Williams, 8, stayed up past her bedtime to see Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama after Tuesday night's debate.

It was 9:10 p.m. by the time Williams got Obama's autograph as he worked the crowd at a party sponsored by the Service Employees International Union.

"He's a great man,'' said Devon, standing atop of a bar stool next to her mother at the Paradise Cantina, east of the Strip, where two-for-one margaritas, chips and salsa and chicken wings were plentiful.

Her opinion appeared to be shared by the 100 or so SEIU members at the party.

Walking through the back door of the bar around 9 p.m., Obama arrived to chants of "SEIU! Fire it up! SEIU! Fire it up!''

The candidate waved at the crowd, most of whom stood in booths and on tables and bar stools.

"I've been so proud of my association with the SEIU," he told the crowd. "All of you represent the best of the labor movement. You're not some union who takes things for granted."

Obama then circled the room, shaking hands and signing autographs.

Devon, who could not stop smiling about getting Obama's autograph, said she planned to hang it up in her room.

Earlier in the evening, during the debate, Obama supporters criticized Hillary Clinton's answers and snarled at John Edwards' comments.

But they had cheered as the words left Obama's mouth.

"Great answer. Truthful,'' one man said to another as he watched the debate on one of the bar's flat-screen televisions.

"Blah, blah, blah, 35 years,'' said another man as Clinton spoke about her experience.