Democrats mull Florida, Michigan compromise

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Democratic Party is likely to meet rule-breaking Florida and Michigan halfway when it comes to seating their delegates at the national convention, two members of the rules committee said Wednesday.

Such a move may help Sen. Hillary Clinton close the delegate gap with front-runner Sen. Barack Obama but not overtake him, said sources familiar with party deliberations.

The sources did not want to be identified because the full committee has not yet discussed the problem or ruled on it.

The Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee meets Friday and Saturday in Washington to consider what to do with Florida and Michigan, which broke ranks to hold primaries earlier than party rules allowed.

As punishment, both state parties were told they would not be represented at all when the party officially nominates a presidential candidate at the August convention in Denver, Colorado, and they are challenging those sanctions.

Clinton and her supporters have been pressing for a compromise that seats as many delegates from the two states as possible. Clinton's Web site encourages people to write to the Rules and Bylaws Committee.

"There is one number that we are going to be satisfied with, and that is 2.3 million people having their votes counted," Clinton supporter Tina Flournoy said. About 600,000 people voted in Michigan and about 1.7 million in Florida.

The party needs "to recognize the January primary votes in both of those states," Clinton campaign co-chair Harold Ickes said Wednesday.

"Pledged delegates fairly reflect the will of the voters." Ickes said, referring to delegates chosen in primaries and caucuses.

Ickes and Flournoy are both members of the Rules and Bylaws Committee.
Democrats mull Florida, Michigan compromise - CNN.com

This isn't just about the delegates being seated but also the popular vote. IF they are both seated, Clinton takes the lead in the popular vote and once again we have turmoil in the ranks of the DNC.

Another thing this does is raise the amount of delegates needed to win....puts Obama at a less of an advantage. The SUPER Delegates have been known to change ranks in the recent past.

Have a good one!:s4: