Ickes: Rules resolution took Clinton votes

WASHINGTON, June 1 (UPI) -- The ruling by the Democratic Party's Rules and Bylaws Committee took delegate votes from U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, Clinton adviser Harold Ickes said Sunday.

Ickes, who was a member of the committee that ruled on the Florida and Michigan delegations Saturday, said on NBC's "Meet the Press" that the committee's final decision actually took four delegates from the New York politician and assigned them to the front-runner, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.

"There's no basis in ... any reasonable way, there's no basis for taking any delegates from her. Yesterday's resolution took four delegates from her," Ickes said. "It violates a fundamental precept of our delegate selection rule, which is fair reflection."

Former U.S. Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D., said the final decision on the two states' delegations should bring about a consensus for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Daschle, an Obama supporter, said he wasn't making any predictions but thinks the party will have a nominee "before the end of this week."

"A large number of superdelegates were holding back, waiting until the last vote was counted, and then they're going to step forward," Daschle said.