US elections 2008

Obama campaign pleased with Michigan/Florida decision

Article published on the 2008-06-01 Latest update 2008-06-01 09:49 TU

Hillary Clinton campaigning in Puerto Rico
(Photo: Reuters)

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign has declared itself "extremely gratified" with the decision of the Democratic Party National Committee's rules and bylaws panel on primaries in the states of Michigan and Florida. The body decided to allow delegates from the two states, which broke the rules by holding their primary elections too early, but has only allotted the delegates half a vote each.

Hillary Clinton's supporters exploded in fury after the panel's ten-hour meeting in Washington. Some threatened to vote Republican in the presidential poll.

They had insisted that the two states' cases be reviewed in the hope of winning more delegates at the national convention to choose the party's presidential candidate.

But the panel gave Obama 59 delegates, to Clinton's 69 in Michigan, although he had not been on the ballot there. That, plus the decision to give both states' delegates half a vote each, leaves the Clinton camp trailing behind Obama by 66 delegates.

Meanwhile, Obama announced Saturday that he was leaving his church after controversy over a guest preacher who said that Clinton felt she was entitled to the nomination because she is white.

Clinton is campaigning in Puerto Rico, which votes today, Saturday. The territory is semi-autonomous and its inhabitants do not vote in US elections, although they can take part in both Republican and Democratic primaries.

Democratic primaries will take place in Montana and South Dakota on Tuesday.