This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7428909.stm

The article has changed 19 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 5 Version 6
US Democrats hold key poll talks US Democrats reach delegate deal
(about 1 hour 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 voting to decide the fate of Florida and Michigan, two states debarred for the presidential nomination process.
Both Florida and Michigan were stripped of representation for holding their candidate contests in January, in violation of party rules. A compromise deal has reportedly been agreed to restore the two states' delegates to the party convention, but cut their voting power in half.
Hillary Clinton hopes the party will reverse its decision in the two states, where she has enjoyed strong support. This represents a partial victory for Hillary Clinton, who is lagging behind Barack Obama in the race.
She is lagging behind Barack Obama in the closing days of the race. But the additional votes she would gain will not allow her to overtake him.
The 30 members of the Democratic Party's rules and bylaws committee are meeting in the ballroom of a Washington hotel. Whatever the final 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.
Outside, about 200 protesters holding placards gathered, chanting: "Count our vote."
The Democratic Party chairman, Howard Dean, opened the meeting, saying the compromises under discussion would probably not satisfy everyone.
"I want this to be a healing process that unifies us, that brings us together, that allows us to reason together, that results in collegial bargaining, not confrontation; so that when we leave this room, we're all wearing the same blue jerseys, so that we can go after the Republicans in their red jerseys in November," he said.
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 likelyCompromise likely
The committee meeting could mark Mrs Clinton's last stand, our correspondent says. Mrs Clinton wanted members of the Democratic rules and bylaws committee, meeting in the ballroom of a Washington hotel, to overturn a previous decision and allow delegates from Florida and Michigan to vote at the Democratic National Convention in August.
Democrat party chairman Howard Dean says compromise 'will not please everyone'
She hopes members will overturn its previous decision and allow delegates from Florida and Michigan to vote at the Democratic National Convention in August.
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 - and persuade undecided "super-delegates" that she should be the party's nominee.She is hoping to close the delegate gap with Mr Obama - 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 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 overall 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.