by Michael Martinez and John McCormick, updated

LAS VEGAS – In a boost to Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign, a federal judge ruled Thursday that nine casinos on and near the Strip may be used as voting sites. The ruling comes just two days before Nevada’s presidential caucuses on Saturday.

After an event in San Francisco, Obama responded to the ruling.

"We had nothing to do with setting up these rules," he said. "We simply were trying to win under the rules that had been set up. Some of the people who set up the rules apparently didn't think that we would be as competitive as we were and tried to change at the last minute.

"I think the judge was clear that you can't change the rules six days before a caucus," he said. "Any alteration would have disenfranchised maids, dishwashers, bellhops, people who work on the Strip. So, just in terms of politics, we are confident of our organization on the ground. But, in terms of policy, I think it was the right decision to make."

An Obama's spokesman released a statement that had more bite.

"We're glad that the Nevada court upheld the Nevada Democratic Party's caucus plan which encourages voter participation," Bill Burton said in a statement. "While the Clinton camp clearly believed the voices of workers should be silenced in service of their perceived political interest, they enjoyed a twenty five-point lead two months ago and have much of the party establishment in their camp. So, despite their inherent advantages we are pleased this should be a close and competitive contest Saturday."

Nevada Democrats had recently secured the nine casinos as legitimate caucus sites so that thousands of casino workers could conveniently participate in the Saturday caucuses.

But after the 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union of Nevada, the state’s largest union, endorsed Obama last week, leaders of a teachers union in Nevada went to court to overturn the casino-caucus sites saying that it gave casino workers an unfair advantage.

Though Hillary Clinton didn’t take sides in the issues, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, has expressed criticism on the unfair arrangement for casino workers, adding that under Nevada’s complicated caucus formula that those votes carried “five times” extra weight.

The lawsuit highlighted a rift in organized labor over the two leading Democratic candidates. Culinary Workers Union leaders had denounced the lawsuit, which they said would have disenfranchised the working class. “It’s outrageous,” said Pilar Maria Weiss, the union’s political director, about the suit before Thursday’s ruling.

Here's a statment issued by Nevada Democratic Party State Chair Jill Derby:

STATEMENT FROM NEVADA STATE PARTY CHAIR JILL DERBY
“JUDGE RULES IN FAVOR OF A FAIR DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS THAT INCLUDES WORKERS”

“Today, U.S. District Court Judge James Mahan, of the District of Nevada ruled in favor of the caucus process the Nevada Democratic Party established last year and maintains the right of workers and minorities to participate in the Nevada caucuses at their work sites,” State Party Chair Jill Derby said today. “We began this process to highlight the participation of westerners, minorities, including Hispanics, and labor in choosing the Democratic nominee for president and today that effort was affirmed by the courts.

“Despite the characterization of some, this process is fair to all Nevadans, union member or not, whether they work within a 2.5 mile radius of the Las Vegas Strip or will caucus at their home precincts. With 520 sites across the state, we look forward to having fair, inclusive and decisive caucuses at 11am on Saturday, January 19th with participation of a record breaking number of Democrats.”