Top Democrat Soothes State Party

TALLAHASSEE - National Democratic Party chairman Howard Dean waded into hostile territory Tuesday with a Tallahassee fundraiser and news conference where he played down the importance of the Florida presidential primary fiasco.

Dean also sought to distance the national party from the boycott of Florida by the leading Democratic presidential candidates.

That, he noted, results from a demand by the four early primary states, not from any party action. The Democratic National Committee, Dean said, 'plays zero role in this at all. None.'

'Eventually, this is all going to be worked out,' Dean told reporters. 'Who knows when, but it will be.'

Meanwhile, he said, 'In the big picture of what really matters to the country, this is a very small blip. This is a fight among politicians.'

He denied that the primary battle means Florida Democrats have been disenfranchised - even though it appears to mean their presidential primary votes won't have any effect on the race.

'One way or another, when the votes really count, Floridians' votes are going to count,' Dean said.

Dean appeared with state Rep. Dan Gelber, D-Miami Beach, the Florida House Democratic leader.

However, state Democratic Party chairwoman Karen Thurman did not attend the news conference or fundraiser, although listed on the invitation as a host.

A party spokesman said only that she 'was unable to attend.' Dean denied there was any estrangement: 'I talked to her last week; we talk all the time.'

Also absent was state Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink, one of only two Democrats holding statewide offices. A spokeswoman said Sink was busy with budget work.

There's no question, however, that the battle over the primary has caused hostility between Florida and national Democrats.

Florida Sen. Bill Nelson of Orlando and U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings of Miramar are suing the national party. Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller of Miami has vowed a lawsuit that would accuse early primary states of conspiracy because of the boycott pledge.

The battle arose because of the date picked by the state Legislature for the Florida primary, Jan. 29 - earlier than the Feb. 5 threshold set by both national parties.

The DNC has said it won't seat a Florida delegation at its national convention in August because of the early date.

In addition, Democratic parties in the four states that were granted pre-Feb. 5 primary dates by the DNC - Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire and South Carolina - demanded the Democratic candidates boycott Florida until the primary.

Dean said that's happened before. Candidates including Dean had to avoid campaigning in the District of Columbia in 2004 and Delaware in 1992 because of early primary dates.

Asked whether he could use his influence as DNC chairman to smooth things out, he said, 'Obviously, if we could have done that, we would have done that a long time ago.'

Gelber backed Dean. 'While we may have some differences now, I assure you that Democrats of our state ... will absolutely be on the same page' by November 2008, he said.

Dean also acknowledged what leading Democrats have been saying for weeks, and what House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Tuesday: Ultimately, the presumptive nominee, not the DNC, will get to decide on seating the delegates.

The fundraiser was expected to raise $25,000 or more for the DNC, said Tallahassee City Commissioner Allan Katz, one of the hosts.