US Democrats compromise on Florida, Michigan

JUST A CONCESSION: Though Florida and Michigan delegates can vote, their voting powers will be halved.

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Since winning both contests, Hillary has pressed for the results to be recognized. Hillary had made the disputes over Florida and Michigan a rallying cry for her campaign, and the furore gained prominence because of the tight race and the likelihood it was her last chance to gain ground on Obama.

Officials said Democrats could pay a price in the November election against Republican John McCain if the delegations from the two election battlegrounds were not seated and the results counted.

"If you turn your back on the voters of Michigan or Florida, you are flirting with a McCain victory," said former Michigan Governor James Blanchard, appearing on behalf of Hillary. Earlier in the day, hundreds of demonstrators, mostly Hillary-supporters, jammed sidewalks outside the hotel, holding home-made signs reading "Count our Florida votes" and "50 states - not 48."

Most of the demonstrators were gone by mid-afternoon.

"We need to come together and unite this party," Howard Dean, the party chairman, told committee members. Hillary, a New York senator, had cast the dispute in dramatic voting rights terms, visiting Florida last week to compare it to the state's recount in the 2000 presidential election and even Zimbabwe's disputed election in March.

Obama said he was willing to compromise in hopes of unifying the party and moving on to the general election campaign against McCain. "We're extremely gratified that the commission agreed on a fair solution that will allow Michigan and Florida to participate in the Convention. We appreciate their efforts, and those of the party leadership of both states, to bring this resolution about," said Obama campaign manager David Plouffe.

Florida senator Bill Nelson, a Hillary-supporter, said the state's early primary was set by the Republican-controlled legislature and state Democrats were not to blame.

"These voters violated no rule, they committed no crime, they did not move the primary forward. The Republican legislature did," Nelson said.