Amy Klobuchar well received at Culinary Union forum

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar returned to Las Vegas Saturday for the latest round of Culinary Union Local 226 presidential candidate forums, where she mixed moderate proposals and attacks on President Donald Trump with jokes and personal stories during her 40-minute question-and-answer session.

The Minnesota senator was well-received by a crowded union hall assembled on a Saturday morning.

Klobuchar stuck mostly to her key campaign talking points — her working-class upbringing, her record as a moderate Democratic senator and repeated assaults on Trump’s leadership and character. Her roots and beliefs appeared to fall right in line with those of the audience, who cheered her answers on key Nevada issues such as health care and immigration.

The town hall was part of a series hosted by the powerful union and its parent organization, UNITE HERE. Former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg hit the stage after Klobuchar.

— Health care the top issue As with previous town halls, the culinary union laid down a marker on health care: Its members fought to get the best benefits in the state, and they want to keep them.

Klobuchar, who has opposed Medicare for All in the Senate and on the campaign trail, breezed through the question by promising exactly that. She shared an anecdote about needing to build bridges, not blow them up, to get across Minnesota’s many lakes.

“We do not want to take those benefits away,” she said. “We do not want to blow those up. And that’s why I believe in a public option and expanding on the Affordable Care Act.”

— Path to citizenship When asked about protecting immigrants, Klobuchar referenced the U.S. Senate’s 2013 passage of a comprehensive immigration reform bill, which was never taken up in the House of Representatives.

She promised to get a similar bill promising a path to citizenship for immigrants of varying legal statuses passed through Congress in her first year if elected president.

— Iran When asked about more possible conflict in Iran, Klobuchar said she would not put U.S. soldiers in danger unless absolutely necessary. She also criticized Trump for failing to consult with Congress before acting in the Middle East.

Trump campaign spokesman Keith Schipper accused Klobuchar of being a false moderate bent on raising taxes on Nevadans and destroying the booming economy.

Contact Rory Appleton at rappleton@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0276. Follow @RoryDoesPhonics on Twitter.