Saturday, May 31, 2008

UPDATE: Sources: DNC Florida Compromise Reached,
Michigan Hangs In Balance
Sam Stein
The Huffington Post

May 31, 2008 09:37 AM

Two sources, including a high-ranking official with the Florida delegation, have confirmed that the DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee reached an agreement last night and will seat the state's entire delegation but give each delegate half a vote. The result would be a net gain of 19 delegates for Sen. Hillary Clinton, though no word yet on how the superdelegates from the state will be allocated. It is, the official says, a compromise that Sen. Barack Obama will be willing to make. "There will be theater but not much fight."
Circumstances, however, are looking very much different concerning the battle over how to handle Michigan's delegation. As of Saturday morning, no compromise had been reached. The idea of splitting the state's delegation 50-50 has been discussed but Clinton's camp, one source said, was not agreeing to the arrangement. In addition, reports are circulating around the DNC meeting that Sen. Carl Levin, who will be speaking on behalf of Michigan, will press for the seating of the state's full delegation, with full votes for each.

"If he does not get his way," wrote The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder, "he will likely challenge the RBC's ruling when the credentials committee convenes unless the rules and bylaws committee promises to strip Iowa and New Hampshire of their privileged status in 2012."
As it stands now, the Rules and Bylaws Committee could resolve the Florida situation while leaving Michigan hanging in the balance -- a situation that is tenable under party rules but leaves open the possibility, however slim, that the delegation matter would be unresolved until the convention.

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