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Full-Strength Democratic Delegation 'Likely'

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By BILLY HOUSE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 19, 2008

WASHINGTON - It is "pretty likely" Florida's 210 delegates will have full voting rights at the Democratic National Convention, says the co-chairman of the panel that will decide that issue.

In an interview Monday, James Roosevelt of Massachusetts said the credentials committee will consider the matter carefully in Denver on Sunday, the eve of the convention's opening day in that city.

In reality, the issue was settled last week when Sen. Barack Obama, who controls the party as its presumptive presidential nominee, called for delegates from both Florida and Michigan to have full voting rights. He says Florida and Michigan Democrats must be part of a united party this fall.

And with the credential panel's membership reflecting the proportional breakdown of convention delegates, Roosevelt conceded, "It's an Obama majority and that makes it pretty likely they will abide by his request."

With voting power restored, the Florida delegation will have its full say on issues that come up before convention panels on topics ranging from convention rules to party stances on abortion and U.S. relations with Cuba.

However, few, if any, decisions are expected regarding the 2012 presidential nominating calendar, the controversial issue that prompted the two states to run afoul of party rules in the first place.

Florida and Michigan had initially been completely barred from the convention for holding presidential primaries in January in violation of party rules.

That prompted anger from supporters of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton after she went on to receive more votes in both states. Obama had taken his name off the ballot in Michigan, which had 157 delegates up for grabs, and neither campaigned in Florida.

In May, the Democratic National Committee's Rules Committee decided to soften the punishment, giving delegates from the two states half a vote each, but that still left many Clinton supporters upset.

Obama's request last week to restore their full voting strength, only after he clinched the nomination, represents little more than symbolic fence-mending with two key battleground states.

Florida Democratic Chairwoman Karen Thurman said Monday that the symbolism "helps make people appreciate the struggle we went through in Florida, even though the rules may have been broken."

She said that Florida and Michigan "really did put a light on" changes that need to be made in the Democrats' presidential nominating process, which continue to allow Iowa and New Hampshire to hold the first contests.

The GOP also cut in half the voting power of Florida's delegates to the Republican National Convention because of the early primary.

As of Monday, no similar headway was yet reported by state GOP officials in getting their delegates restored to full voting power, though its presumptive presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain, says he wants that to happen.

Reporter Billy House can be reached at (202) 662-7673 or bhouse@tampatrib.com.

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