The dispute over what to do about Florida’s Democratic delegates remains as muddled as ever. The latest round of confusion comes courtesy of an exchange Gov. Charlie Crist had with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Sunday. Asked by Blitzer whether Crist was “ready to let the Democrats have another primary if necessary to seat those delegates at the convention in Denver,” Crist replied, “That’d be fine with me. I think it’s very important, though, that those delegates are seated. And I’m hopeful that the Democratic National Committee comes to the conclusion it’s the right thing to do. Every vote must count.” Later in the CNN segment, Blitzer spoke to DNC chairman Howard Dean and said that Crist had just come out in support of a “redo” of the Florida primary.
Only thing is, Crist’s office later clarified that the governor was not in fact suggesting a do-over of the state’s primary. His spokesperson, Erin Isaac, said Crist’s argument was that “the peoples’ voices should be heard” and “all the delegates should be seated.” In other words, Democrats should live with the results of the primary that took place on Jan. 29, however flawed it may have been. Florida Democratic party spokesman Mark Bubriski agrees that the governor didn’t suggest holding another primary. As he and others point out, that would cost the state perhaps $15 million–an enormous sum that the state’s taxpayers would likely frown upon at a time of growing budgetary woes. Sen. Hillary Clinton’s supporters in the state–including Sen. Bill Nelson and Rep. Alcee Hastings–argue, like Crist, that Florida’s delegates should be seated. Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign, however, counters that such a move would be tantamount to changing the rules after the game has been played.
So where does that leave Floridians? Exactly where they were before Crist’s confusing exchange with Blitzer: clueless about the fate of the state’s Democratic delegates. A DNC spokesperson says there are essentially two options going forward. The first: to hold another primary or caucus (while the state would have to pay for the former, the Florida Democratic party would have to fund the latter). The second: to try to work out a deal with the DNC’s credentials committee, which deals with delegate-selection issues. But the full committee won’t be named until after the primary season has concluded this summer. If no one has emerged as the clear nominee by then, get ready for a potentially bruising fight. Democrats can only hope for resolution long before then.
UPDATE, March 6: For the latest on the Florida/Michigan delegate mess, click here.
