The response to Carl and Ron's latest idea according to the Detroit News?

"This letter makes clear that the Michigan primary, where Senator Obama's name did not appear on the ballot and the candidates did not campaign, should not be the basis for how the Michigan delegation is seated," said Obama spokesman Ben LaBolt.

"There will be many suggestions about how to settle this issue," said Isaac Baker, a Clinton spokesman. "The bottom line is that Michigan's votes must be counted so that they have a voice in selecting our nominee. This matter is now before the DNC, where it should be, and we look forward to a quick and fair resolution."

In other words, thanks but no thanks.  No dice.

Actually, that doesn't quite do it justice.  What Barack's people said is this... the election didn't count, shouldn't count and won't count.  The voice of Michigan voters has no place at the table.  

Clinton's?  I want every last delegate I won and they're going to give them to me in that smoke filled back room in DC (the rules committee) or else.  

Hardly voices of reason and compromise.  At least they make more sense than Jennifer Granholm's BFF Joel Ferguson.  The Ivory Tower reports he's sent a letter himself and has one heck of a bright idea on how to resolve this mess... strip the people of their voice to "punish" the State, just don't touch his own super delegate vote... a Clinton vote, if you were wondering.

Tuesday's letter also expressed opposition to a different delegate plan submitted recently by DNC members Joel Ferguson of Michigan and Jon Ausman of Florida. The pair suggested allocating all the pledged delegates based on the results of their January primaries, both of which Clinton won. But each pledged delegate each would have only half a vote at the convention.

Superdelegates from both states would keep their full votes under the plan. Both Ferguson and Ausman are superdelegates, with Ferguson pledged to Clinton and Ausman still uncommitted. The DNC's Rules and Bylaws Committee plans to meet May 31 to consider the Ferguson-Ausman proposal.

If the campaigns jumped right into the spin-zone on the gang-of-four proposal they didn't bother with Ferguson's.  Everyone and their mom jumped on it right away and called it ridiculous.  So they've got that going for them at least.  

The worst part is his plan may very well wind up being better for Michigan voters than what we get in the end.  

With Obama's lead continuing to narrow and in the face of continuing and blistering criticism over his nearly life-long intimate association with hate monger Jeremiah Wright the nation's most liberal Senator needs every advantage he can get.  That includes a convention delegate slate entirely absent of Michigan representation.

If he allows Clinton to claim her delegates his lead slips further.  He also loses points in the argument over who's actually claimed the most popular "votes."  Yes, in the Democrat party we actually have to put the word "votes" in quotation marks... Clinton and Obama can't decide what counts and what doesn't.  

Of course Obama's sychophantic supporters in the blogosphere continue to assure us that Barack understands the plight of working, blue collar Michigan families.  He understands and he cares and he loves Bibles and he loves guns.  He doesn't love flag pins most candidates wear on their lapels but he does love Jeremiah Wright, unless he doesn't love him.  Depends on the day and the week.  A guy could get confused trying to make heads or tails over where Obama really stands on any of this stuff.  Best thing to do in situations like these?  Look at the record.

Obama took his own name off the ballot here in Michigan.

Obama had his supporters in the Michigan legislature scuttle the chance for a re-vote earlier this year when it was a very real possibility.  

Obama has spent over $184,000,000 across the country without dropping a single dime or one piece of bulk mail in Michigan.

And of course the kicker... it's now been 293 Days since he last deemed it important to step foot in the State of Michigan.  A neighboring State to his own Illinois, by the way.  Just a quick drive up the highway from his pad in Chicago.  293 Days.

Oh yeah, he cares about Michigan.  Gee whiz he thinks we're important.  I'm sure that the last 293 DAYS have been the exception and when push comes to shove and he stands to lose his nomination by seating our delegation he'll finally do the right thing.  Because he's done it so often here lately.