[img_assist|nid=3622|title=Protesters outside the Democratic National Committee gathering in Washington|desc=Getty Images Photo|link=none|align=none|width=420|height=280]WASHINGTON -- Setting the stage for what could be a full day of testimony, voting, and planned protests, members of the Democratic National Committee's Rules and Bylaws Committee held a private, behind closed doors meeting Friday night where they came away agreeing to a broad set of principals, but no clear consensus as to to implement them, especially as Hillary Clinton's campaign believes the committee can be her last best hope to the nomination.

At issue is whether or not the committee should lessen their previous threats to strip Michigan and Florida of all delegates to the national convention and to what degree. The decision is significant because Clinton won both large states and stands to gain delegates if they are seated. It could also allow Clinton's campaign to argue to undeclared superdelegates that they won a majority of the popular vote of Democrats in all the states.

After 5 1/2 hours of cocktails, chicken dinners, and coffee -- that lasted until 1:30am -- 28 of the 30 committee members generally agreed to the idea that Florida and Michigan would be given half of their delegate allotment instead of none. Less unclear is whether just half of their delegates will be seated or all will be seated, but just given half a vote each. It is also unknown what the breakdown of Clinton to Obama delegates would be for each state. Among the five members who did talk to the press after adjourning there did appear some belief that Michigan would be harder to solve that Florida since Obama's name didn't even appear on the ballot in Michigan.

“There is no clear pathway,” committee member Martha Fuller Clark told reporters.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean attended spoke at the closed door meeting, but left before it ended. Those absent included Sarah Swisher, an Obama backer from Iowa, and Jaime Gonzalez, Jr., a Clinton supporter from Texas.

The private meeting was being discussed for days as simply being an informal gathering. But the length of the meeting, held at the same hotel where they will meet Saturday morning, also signified that there could have been some effort to build consensus before the session begins and is carried live on four separate cable networks.

All members who spoke said discussion was helpful because it allowed for some education about the process as well as seeing generally were people stood.

“It gave us a chance to find out where everyone was," said Thomas Hynes, of Illinois. "It gave the 30 people on this committee, who are from all over the country and who don’t get to talk at length on a regular basis, a chance to find out where everyone was, to find out where common ground could be found.”

That said, committee co-chair Jim Roosevelt said there were no straw polls conducted or informal hand raising.

Emerging from the meeting loyal Clinton backer Harold Ickes sounded frustrated as he showed up to microphones with his shirt half unbuttoned.

"It was a useful discussion because some of the people didn’t know all of the facts,” he said.

And it is the Clinton campaign who has the most riding on the outcome of these discussions. Mathematically, NBC News has already project it is impossible for Clinton to defeat Obama with the remaining elections and superdelegates. The math does change, though slightly, if Michigan and Florida are added to the mix. More importantly Clinton badly needs a win.

One Obama backer on the committee, Allan Katz, of Florida was why not, for the sake of unity, would Obama supporters just hand Clinton what she wants for the sake of party unity.

“I think the fact of the matter is a lot of the people feel strongly that given that this committee laid down certain rules, 48 states followed the rules, 48 states did it right, and you have two that didn’t, especially with the nomination still not over, you just don’t do it like that,” Katz said.

And that is the central issue, according to Fuller Clark, an Obama supporter.

“I think the fundamental question is, how do we find a balance between respecting the role of the primaries and creating some ongoing structure so that as we move forward in 2011 and 2012 we don’t have chaos; and on the other side recognizing that thousands of people have voted and that we need at least to have a discussion about how we might or could consider those votes and at the same time maintain the integrity of the process,” said Clark.

When the committee regroups at 9:30am Saturday there will be discussion in the morning followed by voting later in the day.

-- Politicker.com National Corrrespondent Alex Isenstadt contributed to this report.