Hotline After Dark -- Gone South

Talk of MI and FL's Dem delegates and what to do with them dominated the political discussion on TV last night:

FNC's Angle summed up the situation: "Everyone seems to be gravitating toward a new vote but can't figure out how to pay for it" ("Special Report," 3/6).

But Newt Gingrich offered a solution: "If the Democrats announced they have a tax-deductible foundation to pay for the primary, they'll find 5 or 10 rich people in Hollywood who'll be glad to write the checks. That's not going to be a problem" ("On the Record," FNC, 3/6).

Meanwhile, many FL pols took to the airwaves to make their case:

Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL), on the possibility of another FL election: "The difficulty we have for our Florida taxpayers paying for it ... The fact that they paid for it once, number one. And number two, we're in a tight budget year. But I think Senator Nelson is on the right track. If, in fact, there would be another vote, then paying for it by the Democratic National Committee would be the only way we could do it if, in fact, they don't agree to seat the delegates that already have been selected by virtue of the vote January 29th" ("Situation Room," CNN, 3/6).

More Crist, on a redo: "Estimates for doing so are probably around $20 million. It's an awful lot of money, but if the Democratic National Committee would pay for it, as the Democratic U.S. senator Bill Nelson has suggested, we wouldn't have a problem with that. But our preference is to go ahead and seat the delegates that have already been selected by a record turnout. We want to respect those who took the time to go out and vote" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 3/6).

Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), asked why the DNC should pay for a re-vote: "At no fault of the Florida Democrats. It was a Republican legislature, signed into law by a Republican governor. ... What's happening ... is that the Republicans are just laughing up their sleeve right now, because they have created a situation that their candidates were not penalized, but the Democratic candidates are penalized now in a fractured situation going into the convention."

Asked what happens if there's not a redo, Nelson: "A train wreck" ("AC 360," CNN, 3/6).

FL House Dem leader Dan Gelber: "I think we have to do a do-over." More: "I think a re-vote-by-mail is the best option available" ("NewsHour," PBS, 3/6).

After the jump Barack Obama talks to ABC's Gibson, saying "we made some mistakes" in the 3/4 states and he talks about responding to charges made by the Hillary Clinton campaign. [EMILY GOODIN]

"WE MADE SOME MISTAKES"

Barack Obama spoke to ABC's Gibson, portions of which appeared on "World News" but the net released a full transcript of the interview:

Asked if MI and FL should revote: "I think it's important to make sure that people of Michigan and Florida feel as if they're part of this process and that they're heard. And we've just decided that we're going to play by whatever the rules the DNC has set forth."

More: "I mean, part of the problem in Michigan and Florida was we were told that they wouldn't count and we were asked not to campaign there. And that's what everybody agreed to. So we didn't have the opportunity to fully campaign in Michigan. My name wasn't even on the ballot. In Florida, I didn't campaign at all."

Asked why he didn't win more on 3/4: "I think we made some mistakes, as well, which is inevitable during the course of a long campaign."

Asked about fighting back against Clinton campaign charges: "There have been moments, episodes during the course of this campaign -- you'll recall in South Carolina, where they employed some of these same tactics. And at some point, we had to hit back. And, you know, we're going to have to make sure that we're not just letting a bunch of charges go unanswered. You know, if Senator Clinton wants, for example, to talk about issues of transparency and vetting, then I think it's important for her to release her tax returns, as I have, and as many presidential candidates in the past have. But I do think that it's important for us not to lose sight of why I am running in the first place, and that is not to have a tit-for-tat battle with Senator Clinton, but rather to explain how I can help the American people raise their kids, stay in their homes, find good jobs, retire with dignity and respect. If I'm doing those things and playing enough of the defense that's required in national politics, then I think we'll be fine."

Gibson: "On this subject of qualifications to be commander-in-chief, she said, 'Senator McCain will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign. I will bring a lifetime of experience to the campaign. Senator Obama will bring a speech that he made in 2002.' Now, she's said that before, but it's pretty in-your-face and one, I wonder, a, your reaction."

Obama: "Well, I think Senator Clinton, like Senator McCain, believes that life begins when you arrive in Washington. So she discounts all the work that I've done as a community organizer, as a civil rights attorney, as somebody who taught constitutional law, as a state senator, as well as a United States senator. Apparently, to her, that's irrelevant. On the other hand, all her experience is relevant, work at the Rose Law Firm or her work as first lady. So that's something, obviously, that we're going to contest. But I think that, ultimately, the American people see through some of this stuff as the typical game-playing that goes on during political season. And what we have to do is make sure that I stay focused on the things that got me into this race in the first place."

Asked about PA: "There's no doubt that Senator Clinton has an advantage. She's got the support of a popular governor, Ed Rendell. She's got a lead in the polls. She's got the support of a lot of the political establishment there. But we'll still compete there" (ABC, 3/6).