UPDATE: Clarification from Marc Ambinder.

From the comments, this is a shocker. What does it all mean?

The Democratic National Committee said Tuesday that Florida and Michigan members will be seated on the three standing committees — including the critical Credentials Committee—at the party’s 2008 national convention, a position that could affect the selection of the Democratic nominee.

While both states were stripped of their delegates to the convention, according to the DNC’s interpretation of party rules, members from those states will be seated on the Credentials Committee. The Credentials Committee, which can meet prior to convention, resolves disputes over whether to seat delegates at the convention.

“The DNC interpretation is that there are 186 members of the Credentials Committee and both states are seated on the standing committees,” said DNC spokeswoman Stacie Paxton.

Under the DNC’s interpretation of the rules, Florida members of the credentials committee would not be allowed to vote on the question of whether to seat Florida’s delegates to the presidential nominating process.

But the mere presence of Florida and Michigan on the credentials committee raises the prospect of vote-trading or last-minute maneuvering, creating potential confusion for a convention already shadowed by procedural controversies.

Senior advisers to the campaigns of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, as well as several party rules experts with experience from prior presidential campaigns, expressed surprise when informed of the DNC’s stance.

“Intuitively, I would have thought that if members of the delegation are not seated it strikes me as a little odd that members of the standing committees are seated,” said Harold Ickes, a top Clinton adviser who many view as the preeminent authority on party rules and bylaws.

The Obama campaign, which was unaware of the DNC’s position, declined comment.