Crossposted from myDD
Per Chuck Todd, the Obama campaign could have gotten a 50/50 split out of Michigan. They chose not to, instead opting for the Michigan Democratic Party proposal for a 69-59 split. Clinton supporters (and a few "supporters") have called him "petty" for holding out over a four-delegate swing when his lead is approximately 200, but they haven't really examined the rationale behind his move beyond their anger. For a campaign that's likely going to have won the nomination largely on the back of a superior understanding of the process, they're selling Obama short.
If he was really going to be 'petty' about a four delegate swing, why would he be so magnanimous about the additional five delegate swing he could have had but chose not to receive? A conciliatory gesture of goodwill towards Senator Clinton? When has the Clinton campaign shown any sign that they would be receptive to any conciliatory gesture from the Obama campaign short of a concession speech?
No, the Obama campaign has adapted to the Clinton campaign's Calvinball strategy of goalpost-moving that its been engaged in since Super Tuesday. The Clinton camp knows you can only move the goalposts a little bit at a time. Remember Wolfson's assertion that if Obama didn't win all four March 4th states, "serious questions" would be raised about his candidacy?
It came before the false accusation that Obama wasn't really going to do anything about NAFTA, when he was leading in the polls in three of the four states, and was soundly laughed at. Having missed the chance to set expectations people could take seriously, the Clinton camp was unable to claim that they had tied the race despite winning three of four states.
Goalposts can only be moved one step at a time, and a little bit of conciliatory goes a long way, especially when you know your opponent won't acknowledge it in any way.
So they made a small and ultimately unimportant sacrifice, going from 64-64 to 69-59. And the Clinton camp can only move the goalposts to 73-55 without totally losing the audience again. If he'd allowed a 73-55 split, does anyone not expect the Clintons and Ickes and the like to be arguing "how can you give all of the uncommitted votes to Obama?" They absolutely would.
But they can't argue those fifty-five. It'd be moving the goalposts twice. As everyone knows, four delegates changes nothing, and since the Clinton camp is going to argue this anyway, let them argue over four delegates instead of fifty-five. And when the Monday news reports talk about the outcome of the Committee's ruling and the Clinton campaign's response, all the booing and hissing that those loud folks in DC chanting "Denver" and the like will seem to be over four whole delegates.
Brilliant move. McCain doesn't stand a chance against this guy.