Delegate dispute riles up donors

Democrats in Michigan and Florida struggled Friday to resolve the impasse over the disputed January primaries, coming up with a plan to hold a June primary in Michigan while remaining deadlocked in Florida.

Reflecting how pressurized the situation has become, influential fundraisers for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton have stepped up their behind-the-scenes pressure on national party leaders to resolve the situation, with some even threatening to withhold their donations to the national party unless it seats the delegates or holds new primaries.

The Democratic National Committee penalized both Michigan and Florida for holding their primaries early in violation of national party rules, barring their delegates from being seated at the Democratic convention this summer. But with the Democratic contest now a scramble for every remaining delegate, the allocation of delegates from the two states could have a substantial impact on the outcome.

Anger from Clinton fundraisers seems to emanate mostly from Florida, where the impasse appears farthest from resolution. Democratic Party officials in Michigan on Friday proposed a new primary election on June 3.

Obama: Rezko helped raise up to $250,000

Presidential candidate Barack Obama said Friday that he got more political money from indicted Chicago businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko than he has previously acknowledged.

Rezko helped raise up to $250,000 for his various political races, Obama's campaign said. The campaign had previously put the figure at $150,000 but now says that amount was only for his 2004 Senate race.

And in interviews with two Chicago newspapers, the Democrat again said it was a mistake to involve Rezko in his purchase of a new home — not just because Rezko was under federal investigation but because he was a contributor and political activist.

Still, Obama said he did nothing unethical.

"He never once asked me for any favors, or ever did any favors for me," the Illinois senator said.

Foreign leaders to get fresh look at McCain

Sen. John McCain will step off a plane in Iraq this weekend at the outset of a weeklong series of private meetings with Middle Eastern and European leaders that will be as much an overseas audition as it is political theater aimed at voters in the United States.

McCain said in New Hampshire last week that he will listen to Iraq's leaders and to America's generals to guide his policies, but his visit amplifies the message he repeats daily on the trail: "We are succeeding in Iraq," he says. "The surge and the strategy are succeeding." McCain said last month that if he cannot convince Americans that the war is succeeding, "then I lose."

McCain is a familiar figure overseas, but the heads of state in Iraq, Jordan, Israel, France and Britain will take fresh measure of the man who may be president and try to assess how similar his policies will be to those of President Bush.

Seattle Times news services