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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| US Democrats to hold crunch talks | US Democrats to hold crunch talks |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The US Democratic Party is meeting to decide the fate of two states left out of the dramatic race to find its candidate for president. | The US Democratic Party is meeting to decide the fate of two states left out of the dramatic race to find its candidate for president. |
| Both Florida and Michigan were stripped of representation for holding their candidate contests in January, in violation of party rules. | Both Florida and Michigan were stripped of representation for holding their candidate contests in January, in violation of party rules. |
| Hillary Clinton hopes the party will reverse its decision in the two states, where she has enjoyed strong support. | Hillary Clinton hopes the party will reverse its decision in the two states, where she has enjoyed strong support. |
| She is lagging behind Barack Obama in the closing days of the race. | She is lagging behind Barack Obama in the closing days of the race. |
| Whatever the outcome of the committee's meeting, Barack Obama is still almost certain to cross the finishing-line in first place, says the BBC's James Coomarasamy. | Whatever the outcome of the committee's meeting, Barack Obama is still almost certain to cross the finishing-line in first place, says the BBC's James Coomarasamy. |
| Compromise likely | Compromise likely |
| The party's previously obscure Rules and Bylaws Committee could mark Mrs Clinton's last stand, our correspondent says. | The party's previously obscure Rules and Bylaws Committee could mark Mrs Clinton's last stand, our correspondent says. |
| class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7426825.stm">Q&A: Michigan and Florida votes | |
| She hopes the 30-member committee will overturn its previous decision and allow delegates from Florida and Michigan to vote at the national convention in August. | She hopes the 30-member committee will overturn its previous decision and allow delegates from Florida and Michigan to vote at the national convention in August. |
| Her supporters are promising to be out in force at the meeting, offering encouragement. | Her supporters are promising to be out in force at the meeting, offering encouragement. |
| Officially, she won both states in January but neither she nor Mr Obama campaigned in either - and in Michigan, Mr Obama's name was not even on the ballot. | Officially, she won both states in January but neither she nor Mr Obama campaigned in either - and in Michigan, Mr Obama's name was not even on the ballot. |
| She is hoping to close the delegate gap with Mr Obama, allowing her to claim victory in the popular vote and persuade undecided "super-delegates" that she should be the party's nominee. | She is hoping to close the delegate gap with Mr Obama, allowing her to claim victory in the popular vote and persuade undecided "super-delegates" that she should be the party's nominee. |
| Mr Obama currently has a delegate lead of 202 over Mrs Clinton, with 1,984 delegates to her 1,782, according to Associated Press news agency projections. | Mr Obama currently has a delegate lead of 202 over Mrs Clinton, with 1,984 delegates to her 1,782, according to Associated Press news agency projections. |
| Should the committee award her every Florida and Michigan delegate she officially won in January's discounted elections, her net delegate boost would be just 43. | Should the committee award her every Florida and Michigan delegate she officially won in January's discounted elections, her net delegate boost would be just 43. |
| Nonetheless, such a decision would boost Mrs Clinton's chances of ending the primary election season with a plausible claim to have won a majority of the popular vote. | Nonetheless, such a decision would boost Mrs Clinton's chances of ending the primary election season with a plausible claim to have won a majority of the popular vote. |
| The rules committee seems more likely to opt for a compromise - perhaps seating half the delegates - that would do little to change the dynamics of the race, our correspondent says. | The rules committee seems more likely to opt for a compromise - perhaps seating half the delegates - that would do little to change the dynamics of the race, our correspondent says. |