By Brendan McLaughlin
There's one way of resolving Florida's democratic delegate dilemma that's fair, free and final. You know, the way elections are supposed to be.
SEAT 1/2 OF FLORIDA'S DELEGATES FROM THE JANUARY 29TH ELECTION
Here's why this is the best possible solution:
1) The will of 1.7 million voters on that day in January is expressed, albeit diluted by half.
2) No expensive or risky re-vote is necessary.
3) The perceived distortion of an election in which no candidates campaigned is diluted by half.
4) Both candidates gain and lose something. Barack gives up net delegates but fewer than he would otherwise.. Hillary gains delegates, but fewer than she would if the results were counted in full.
5) The DNC saves face by punishing Florida for moving up the primary date and sends the message that breaking the rules has consequences.
Two State Senate Democrats floated this idea with a pointless addendum. They want to divvy up the remaining half of the delegates either in half again or according to the national popular or delegate vote count. This approach simply creates another set of variables to argue over.
Obama supporters I've talked to inanely call for the delegates to be divided in half, as if there's some Solomonic wisdom in utterly negating the results of the actual vote. The message that sends is that winning is everything, the good of the party and the strength of the eventual nominee be damned.