Forced to view this event on C-Span instead of being present--five young people in my house, four of them asleep at the moment. But C-Span has been up to speed, so far. Introductory remarks by RBL Committee co-chairs Alexis Herman and James Roosevelt, explaining the lengthy process of intra-party deliberations that constructed the primary calendar for 2008 in the first place.

A good, concise introductory talk by Howard Dean.

Audience shots, the well-tanned Florida delegation amply represented, with Sen. Nelson and former Sen. Bob Graham and their wives. among others.

First presenter: Jon Ausman, on behalf of the challenge for the Florida delegation, and he does a good job. Several commentators in recent days have come around to the recognition that Florida's gargantuan jump ahead in the primary calendar was pushed through by its Republican governor (Crist) and Republican legislature.

Ausman argues well that the language of the Democratic Party's charter and rules mandate ("shall") that charter delegates--those party pols and elected officials so often referred to as "superdelegates" should be seated. They did not violate the timing rule; they became charter delegates in some other year entirely, etc.

Ausman concedes in the challenge that it is not disputed that Florida violated Rule #11, the timing rule--jumping ahead of its place in the primary calendar. He accepts that Florida's pledged delegates, as opposed to the charter delegates, should be reduced by 50 percent.

Sounds pretty solid so far. This emended Florida challenge leaves unsettled the 3 unpledged delegates, as Ausman notes. It also does not say which candidate should receive pledged delegates and in what proportion, as yet.

And of course the charter delegates still have room to make up their minds about which candidate to support, as Sen. Clinton insisted for so long.

With any luck, they will take her most recent campaign tactics into consideration in deciding.