Long before Sen. Ted Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama, the junior senator from Illinois had the senior senator from his home state as a political ally in his bid to be the Democrats’ presidential candidate.

At a breakfast with reporters today, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin observed that the party’s nominee might not be decided before the national convention in Denver.

When did that last happen? It was 1952 the last time the Democrats took more than one vote at there national convention to determine their presidential nominee. Back then it took three.

Which brings up the importance of today’s primary in Florida.

Democrats have stripped Florida of its delegates to the national convention because the state moved up the date of its primary in violation of party rules â€â€Å“ the same penalty imposed on Michigan, which held its primary earlier in the month.

“Nothing has changed, there are still no delegates at stake in Florida,” Democratic National Committee spokesman Damien LaVera reaffirmed today.

Last week Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign suggested that Obama and former Sen. John Edwards might agree to seat the delegates from those states after all.

Clinton, leading in Florida polls, has the most to gain from this amnesty offer.

Obama’s campaign, however, rejected the offer that same day it was proposed.

David Bonior, campaign manager for Edwards, was less unequivocal. A former congressman from Michigan who is sensitive to the importance of both states, Bonior said in an interview last week that the discussion was premature. He indicated that the Edwards campaign would be willing to talk about at some later date after the Super Tuesday primaries on Feb. 5.

The Clinton campaign isn’t waiting until then. With the polls still open in Florida, top campaign officials held a conference call with reporters to argue that Florida has paid enough of a penalty. Their pitch is that the Democrats seeking the nomination honored their pledge to not campaign in the Sunshine State or ran local political ads, they allege the Obama campaign violated the ban on ads with a national cable TV buy on CNN that gave it exposure in the Florida market.

Patty Solis Doyle, Clinton’s campaign manager, said the large voter turnout in Florida shows residents want to participate in selecting the party’s presidential nominee.

“Their voice will be heard tonight,’’ said Doyle.

Clinton plans to fly to Florida after the polls close and hold a rally this evening in the Fort Lauderdale area thanking her supporters.

The final determination whether Florida and Michigan delegates are seated at the late August convention may come down to a vote by the convention credentials committee this summer.