With the Barack Obama supporters in the Michigan legislature sitting on their hands that body recessed without authorizing a re-do of the Michigan primary, eliminating any chance of a new primary. The question of dealing with the seating of that states delegates now falls exlusively to the Democratic National Committee and its rules gurus. Michigan Governor Granholm, a Clinton supporter, issued the following statement:

“I believe Senator Levin, Congresswoman Kilpatrick, National Committeewoman Debbie Dingell and U.A.W. President Ron Gettelfinger identified the fairest way for Michigan voters to have a voice in seating a delegation in Denver. They recommended to the Democratic National Committee (D.N.C.) that Michigan hold a state-run, privately funded primary.
I supported their recommendation, as did the D.N.C., and I am deeply disappointed that it is no longer a possibility. Now that the Legislature has decided not to act, we will turn our attention to other options. There is no road to the White House that does not go through Michigan, so it is essential that Michigan voters have a voice in who will be our party’s nominee and, ultimately, the next president of the United States.”

The outcome is a body blow to Hillary Clinton, who had hoped to win a new primary in a State that might have been receptive to her candidacy. Her statement:

“I do not see how two of our largest and most significant states can be disenfranchised and left out of the process of picking our nominee without raising serious questions about the legitimacy of that nominee.
“So again, I would call on Senator Obama to join me in supporting the rights of the people of Michigan and Florida to have their voices and their votes counted. I have, as the Democratic National Committee has, come out in favor of an effort for a re-vote in Michigan.
“I do not understand what Senator Obama is afraid of, but it is going to hurt our party and our chances in November and so I would call on him, once again, to join me in giving the people of Florida and Michigan the chance to be counted as we move forward in this nominating process

Senator Chris Dodd, an Obama supporter, issued the following statement:

Even though I left my name on the ballot, it is clear that the results of the Jan. 15 primary should not be used to apportion delegates. Many candidates were not on the ballot and many voters who might have voted in the Democratic primary did so in the Republican primary. Now, those voters would not be able to participate in a re-do election.
“For that reason, as well as concerns about private funding and concerns raised by clerks who would have to administer this election, the best outcome is to come to an arrangement where the delegates are apportioned fairly between Sens. Obama and Clinton, so the Michigan delegation can participate fully in the Denver convention.”

And so the Obama forces are succesful in deflecting the re-do options in both Florida and Michigan, and the slow cutting off of oxygen to the Clinton candidacy continues. Some pretty slick political work by the Obama forces.