Dean says he is also committed to seating Michigan
By Sam Youngman and Manu Raju
Posted: 04/04/08 04:26 PM [ET]
After meeting with Florida Democratic leaders this week, Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean met with Michigan party leaders Friday, saying again he is “committed” to find a way to seat the two states’ delegates at this summer’s convention.
In the case of both states, however, Dean said the DNC and the states will need some sort of compromise agreement from Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.), an agreement that looks increasingly unlikely.
Both states were stripped of their delegates by the DNC as punishment for scheduling and holding their primaries ahead of the Feb. 5 date approved by the committee.
Clinton, who won both the states, has pushed hard for the original votes to be counted or for re-votes. Obama’s campaign has repeatedly said it is also committed to seating the states’ delegates, but campaign officials say they want to find a fair way to split the delegates between the candidates. Clinton and Obama did not campaign in Florida, and Obama was not on the ballot in Michigan.
Clinton's campaign again called on Obama to come to the table to find a solution.
The Obama campaign said Friday that the only “fair” way to seat the Michigan delegates is to divide them evenly between the two candidates, “especially since originally Senator Clinton herself said the Michigan primary wouldn’t ‘count for anything.’”
“It's now up to the Clinton campaign: they can agree to a fair resolution or they can continue trying to score political points and change the rules,” David Plouffe, Obama’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “It’s time to move forward. Senator Clinton should accept an equitable solution that allows Michigan to participate fully in the convention.”
Despite the apparent impasse, all parties say they are optimistic a resolution will be found, and the DNC said this week it is securing hotel rooms.
“We are united in our commitment to doing everything we can to ensure that a Michigan delegation is seated in Denver this summer,” Dean and party leaders said in a joint statement. “We also know that any solution needs to be acceptable to both Democratic presidential campaigns. While there may be differences of opinion in how we get there, we will continue to work together to ensure that a Michigan delegation is seated and that the logistics are in place for a Michigan delegation in Denver. We have every expectation that we will succeed in that endeavor, and then go on to win in November.”
Dean was joined on Friday morning’s conference call by Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), Rep. Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-Mich.), DNC member Debbie Dingell and Ron Gettelfinger, president of the United Auto Workers union.
Levin told reporters Friday that the conversation with Dean went “very well,” and he has no doubt the state’s delegates will be in Denver this summer.
“Everybody acknowledges that they will be seated and they’re going to be seated,” Levin said.
