Dems Settle Florida, Michigan Delegate Question; Further Piss-Off Hill
"Democratic Party leaders agreed Saturday to seat Michigan and Florida delegates with half-votes at this summer's convention with a compromise that left Barack Obama on the verge of the nomination but riled Hillary Rodham Clinton backers who threatened to fight to the August convention. 'Hijacking four delegates is not a good way to start down the path of party unity,' said adviser Harold Ickes. Clinton's camp maintains she was entitled to four additional Michigan delegates."
"'Mrs. Clinton has told me to reserve her right to take this to the Credentials Committee' at the convention, said Ickes, who is a member of the Rules Committee that voted Saturday.
"The resolution increased the number of delegates needed to clinch the nomination to 2,118, leaving Obama just 66 delegates away from the majority needed to secure the nomination.
"'Our main goal is to get this resolved so we can focus on winning Michigan and Florida," Obama said while campaigning in South Dakota. 'There were compromises. ... I'm glad the DNC worked it through and I hope we can start focusing on substance as opposed to process.'" [AP]