DNC's Dean Hopeful on Delegate Do-Over

Fla. And Mich. Should Get A Second Chance To Make Their Votes Count

By MARY BRUCE

March 9, 2008—

Democratic National Committee Chair Howard Dean said this morning he is hopeful that Michigan and Florida can work out do-over nominating contests.

"I would prefer that their delegates are seated in some way, but that way has to be within the rules that everybody agreed to...And I think they will," Dean told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos.

"The states have got to come before the DNC with a plan, or else decide to appeal their exclusion to the credentials committee. When they make those decisions, then we're going to be able to go to the campaigns and have some serious discussions about how we can negotiate this out. But states have got to put a plan on the table first, and when they do, we'll take that to the campaigns," said Dean.

But, if the close race is not resolved before the National Convention in Denver, Dean explained, "You can't not let it go to the floor."

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., backed the possibility of a mail-in caucus when asked about the do-over in a separate "This Week" interview.

"I think only a mail kind of a vote will work," Levin said, explaining "it's better than a 50-50 split, which really overrides public voting."

On who would pay for a mail-in vote, Levin was optimistic that "if there is a practical way to do it, which people feel is secure and fair, I believe a couple of million dollars could be raised."

In another interview, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, a Republican, advocated that the delegates already selected should be seated.

While he is willing to consider a mail-in vote, Crist argued that "the Democratic National Committee should come to the common sense conclusion that the right thing to do is to honor that vote, recognize that vote, and seat those delegates."

He also admitted it will probably take an act of the state legislation to achieve his goal.