Obama appears close to Democratic nod, but party has a few wrinkles

The Associated Press ,  Washington   |  Sat, 05/31/2008 6:06 PM  |  Headlines

Barack Obama looks poised to win the Democratic presidential nomination, but the national party still faces the daunting task of dealing with two states stripped of their delegates and avoiding a rift that could hurt the party's chance at the White House.

The party's rules committee is meeting Saturday to decide how to divvy up Michigan and Florida delegates between Obama and rival Hillary Rodham Clinton. The states' primaries were not included in the overall delegate count because they defied the national party by holding their nominating contests earlier than scheduled.

The committee's decision is unlikely to fully satisfy anyone, but the party is seeking to avoid angering loyal Clinton supporters and alienating two states that could be crucial in the November election against Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain.

The fate of Michigan's 128 pledged delegates is the more complicated of the two situtations. The state's Jan. 15 primary was not recognized by the national party, so Obama and other candidates took their names off the ballot. Clinton left her name on and won with 55 percent of the vote to 40 percent for "uncommitted."

Several Democratic officials and committee members interviewed by The Associated Press said a consensus seems to be forming over how to divvy up the Florida delegates.

Party rules call for stripping half the delegates of a state that violates regulations. But Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said getting no pledged delegates from Michigan is unacceptable to the campaign and "I don't think is a position that people find terribly
reasonable."

Clinton has pressed for both states to be fully counted, and has cited her victories there as part of her push to argue that she leads Obama in the popular vote based on a count of selected
contests, even if his all-important delegate lead is overwhelming.

The former first lady's supporters plan to rally outside the Washington hotel where the meeting will be held, putting pressure on the national party amid fears that the already grueling nomination battle will split the party. Obama has discouraged a counter
protest.

The first-term Illinois senator is within 42 delegates of the 2,026 needed to clinch the nomination, according to The Associated Press tally. He picked up two more delegates on Friday, and leads Clinton by 200 delegates.

The rules committee meeting comes a day before the two candidates head into the Clinton-favored Puerto Rico primary - one of the three remaining nomination contests to be held in the next few days.Montana and South Dakota hold their races on Tuesday.

Obama stands to gain a minimum of roughly 20 delegates in the remaining primaries under party rules that distribute them in proportion to the popular vote - even if he loses all three.

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders were urging uncommitted superdelegates - the party leaders and others who may choose whomever they like - to choose sides quickly so that the fight does
not drag on to the August convention. Clinton has said she would take her battle to the convention if she is not satisfied.

Clinton said she expected them to make their decisions next week. "I think that after the final primaries, people are going to start making up their minds. I think that is the natural progression that one would expect," she said in a conference call.

Asked if she now envisioned the dispute over Michigan and Florida extending beyond Tuesday's final primaries, Clinton replied: "It could, I hope it doesn't. I hope it's resolved to everyone's
satisfaction by that date, because that's what people are expecting, but we'll have to see what happens."

Obama has increasingly focused his attacks on McCain, who secured the necessary delegates for the nomination in March, arguing that the veteran Arizona senator offers little more than an extension of President George W. Bush's policies.

McCain's estimate of U.S. troop levels in Iraq touched off sniping between the two Friday. The likely Republican presidential nominee told an audience Thursday: "We have drawn down to pre-surge levels. Basra, Mosul and now Sadr City are quiet."

In fact, U.S. troop levels are not yet down to levels before President George W. Bush's troop increase last year, a move that McCain endorsed.

Obama seized on McCain's insistence that he did not misspeak.

"Today, Sen. McCain refused to correct his mistake," Obama said in remarks prepared for a rally Friday in Great Falls, Montana. "Just like George Bush, when he was presented with the truth, he just dug in and refused to admit his mistake."

McCain's comments - and Democratic criticism of them - continued a week of debate over the Iraq war. The war is certain to be a defining issue in the general election given that McCain advocates a continued troop presence in Iraq while Obama calls for a withdrawal. (***)

 

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