Saturday in DC

The Rules and Bylaws Committee (RBC) of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) is meeting this Saturday in Washington. The RBC will attempt to resolve an issue that has loomed over the primary process and in some eyes has put Democratic Presidential prospects in jeopardy. At issue are the credentials for delegates from Michigan and Florida. Senator Clinton wants both seated. She urges that Florida be seated as it voted and that the same be true with Michigan. Senator Obama hasn’t been as clear. Obama has said he will seat the FL and MI delegations at the convention, but he hasn’t made clear how he’ll do that or at what level of representation.

In order to gain the backing of Democrats in Iowa Senator Obama pledged to remove his name from the MI ballot. That left Senator Clinton on the ballot. The votes split between Clinton and uncommitted. If the RBC seated the MI delegation as indicated by it's primary Clinton gain 73 delegates to uncommitted’s 55. Well that’s not going to fly with Obama’s people so a ”compromise” has been proposed, Clinton 69 and Obama 59. The Obama people approve, the Clinton people not so much.

Florida, on the other hand is a mess. One of the largest electoral prized in November, it is being treated as an ugly stepchild.

It’s interesting to watch the ins and outs of the politics, but for me the impact of the decisions RBC makes this weekend will echo into the general election. Should the MI and FL delegations be seated, if so how and what of the initial penalties? Now it’s politics, but in September, October and November it reflects as policy. Will the policy of the party appear as alienation, minimization and disrepect of voters or will it appear as one of concern for all Americans? The meeting of the RBC on Saturday will do a lot to determine the story voters will see when Democrats convene in Denver in August.

Once an obscure bit of business about scheduling the story has built into a possible definition of Democrats in November. It may not have seemed like that when the calendar was set, but the stakes are higher now. As Reid Wilson of Real Clear Politics says

At the last meeting of the Rules and Bylaws Committee, on a cold morning late last Fall, a grand total of two reporters were on hand to witness what was supposed to be the finalized calendar. Tomorrow, along with hundreds of protestors demanding their voices be heard, hundreds of journalists will be on hand as an ordinarily overlooked group of party regulars find their time in the spotlight (At press time, 400 had requested credentials).

The RBC of the DNC had best to the right thing or we'll not be getting our inaugural ball invitations next year.