FLORIDA DEMOCRATS SCRAP PLANS FOR DO-OVER

The Florida Democratic Party gave up on efforts to hold a second primary election, leaving a growing dispute over the state’s delegates even further from resolution. Party officials had considered various options, including a mail-in vote, but they determined the opposition was too great. “Thousands of people responded,” the party said in a statement to members. “We spent the weekend reviewing your messages, and while your reasons vary widely, the consensus is clear: Florida doesn’t want to vote again. So we won’t.” The decision may leave it up to the national party to figure out a solution to the fight. The Democratic National Committee stripped the state of its delegates after it violated party rules by holding a primary in January. Senator Clinton won the primary, but no candidates had campaigned, and the Obama campaign is adamantly opposed to seating the delegates according to the January results.

MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS MOVE CLOSER TO NEW VOTE

While the Florida delegate situation was up in the air, Michigan Democrats were moving closer to holding a privately funded, do-over election, the Associated Press reported. Lawmakers are reviewing legislation that would establish a state-run election on June 3. The two campaigns, state and party leaders are facing a deadline this week to reach an agreement. The Clinton campaign last night called on Senator Obama to support the re-vote. “A re-vote is the only way Michigan can be assured its delegation will be seated, and vote in Denver,” a senior adviser, Harold Ickes, said in a statement. “If the Obama campaign thwarts a fair election process for the people of Michigan, it will jeopardize the Democratic nominee’s ability to carry the state in the general election.” An Obama spokesman, Tommy Vietor, criticized Senator Clinton for “cynically trying to change the rules at the eleventh hour for her own benefit.” He also said the campaign was reviewing the proposal and continued to believe “a fair seating of the delegation deserves strong consideration.”

PRESIDENT CLINTON: “CHILL OUT” AND LET VOTERS DECIDE

President Clinton is urging backers of senators Clinton and Obama to allow tempers to cool in the presidential race and to not get too uptight over the drawn-out contest. “The voters get to decide,” Mr. Clinton said in an interview broadcast on ABC yesterday. “I think we should just celebrate this. If we just chill out here and let all the voters have their say, my gut is it’s going to come out all right.”

Mr. Clinton also said that it was a “myth” that he injected race into the presidential campaign by comparing Senator Obama’s strength in South Carolina to that of the Reverend Jesse Jackson in 1984. “What happened there is a total myth and a mugging,” the former president told CNN. “Once African-Americans understood that they had a candidate with a serious chance to win the nomination and perhaps the presidency, then it was going to be a question of somewhere between 80% and 90% were going to support him except in areas where she had particularly strong profile.”

Mr. Clinton granted the interviews in New Orleans Sunday, where he was recognizing college students and universities for environmental and public service efforts.

‘ROCKETMAN’ CROONER SETS CLINTON FUND RAISER IN NEW YORK

Sir Elton John is planning to give Senator Clinton’s presidential campaign a boost by performing in a “solo concert” for her at Radio City Music Hall on April 9. Tickets start at $125 and go on sale tomorrow. “I’m not a politician but I believe in the work that Hillary Clinton does,” Mr. John, 61, said. Both Mrs. Clinton and President Clinton are expected to be on hand for the performance by the durable British star.

OBAMA WOULDN’T LOWER DRINKING AGE

Senator Obama yesterday turned aside a complaint from an Iraq War veteran that, because Americans under 21 can serve in the military, they should also be allowed to drink alcohol. “I know it drives you nuts. But I’m not going to lower the drinking age,” Mr. Obama said as he spoke with veterans at a Scranton, Pa., bar, according to the Associated Press. The senator said the 21-year-old drinking age had helped reduce drunken driving.