Howard Dean is facing a huge number of problems.  Nearly all of these problems can be summed up in two words:

Super Delegates

We now know that there probably aren't enough States left to push either nominee over the top.  So the wholly un-Democratic Super Delegates look likely to be the kingmakers of the Democratic Party.

The huge number of ways this is bad for the Party cannot be quickly summed up.  But here's a quick look at the worst of it.

The two months between the final primary and the convention would be a wild-west free for all of vote trading, job trading, perk trading, and all manner of unseemly conduct. Each of these minor corruptions would be closely followed by the media and used by the Republican machine.  Both Democratic candidates would be painted as modern-day Boss Tweeds.  And the candidate who did the dirtiest deals would likely become the nominee.

Worse yet, the Super Delegates could quite easily crown the candidate who had just lost the popular vote. Were this to happen, I believe the massive and positive fervor the Democratic Party currently enjoys would be immediately replaced with despondency and cynicism. 

The minor corruptions, the dejected supporters, and the nominee only being known two months before the election would likely conspire to deliver another 4 years of Republican rule.

So what is the solution?  What can the party do to make sure this nightmare doesn't happen?  Simple...

Disenfranchise the Super Delegates. 

What you say? How could the party change the rules so late in the game?  How could this be fair?  Why would the Super Delegates ever agree to have their votes taken away?

I propose allowing the Super Delegates themselves to vote for their own disenfranchisement.    Sounds crazy, but consider for a moment who these Super Delegates are.

About half of these Super Delegates are active politicians.  I can't believe any Democratic politician wants a convention battle.  A convention battle would strongly diminish the top of the ticket, and with it, every Democratic politician's chances of re-election.  Even those not up for re-election want a Democratic president.

My guess is that the portion of Super Delegates who are active politicians would overwhelmingly agree to disenfranchise themselves.  As for the 400 odd party functionaries with Super Delegate status, Dean may need to twist some arms, legs, and maybe necks.  But I think he could get the simple majority he'd need to make it happen.

The "disenfranchisement measure” could be something as simple as a binding pledge that would force the Super Delegates to vote for the nominee who had achieved the largest number of popularly elected delegates.  In this way, the nominee would be known no later than the date of the final primary. 

Unfortunately, this solution brings forward another issue, in that the final primary could easily decide the nominee.  Right now, a territory that cannot even vote in the Presidential elections is that final primary.  Puerto Rico has 55 (effectively) winner-take-all delegates.  Making it the single largest source of net delegates in the entire US.  

This could by solved were the party to (re)schedule the rumored Michigan and Florida do-overs (closed caucuses) for the two weeks following Puerto Rico's vote. In this way, the currently disenfranchised, hugely important swing states of Florida and Michigan would be the final deciders. 

The vote would still be close, the losing side would still grumble, but the winner will have won fair and square by popular vote.  The nominee would be decided no later than 4 months prior to the election.  This should give both sides ample time to come together and support the nominee.