Democratic National Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said in a statement Sunday that it would sanction additional presidential debates after the party’s frontrunners lobbied for more.
It was reported Saturday that Democratic frontrunners Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Hillary Clinton would participate in additional debates if the DNC agreed to sanction them.
“Our Democratic candidates have agreed in principle to having the DNC
sanction and manage additional debates in our primary schedule,
inclusive of New Hampshire this week,” Wasserman Schultz said in the statement. “However, absent agreement on the details, we will give our campaigns the space to focus on the important work of engaging caucus goers in Iowa.”
Campaigns for Sanders and Clinton had agreed to participate in four additional debates. Wasserman Schultz said the DNC would finalize additional debate details and conditions on Tuesday.
“Any additional debates will be held on top of our existing February 11th debate with PBS News Hour and our March 9th debate with Univision and the Washington Post,” Wasserman Schultz said in the statement. “We have consistently worked with our campaigns to ensure a schedule that is both robust and allows our candidates to engage with voters in a variety of ways, whether through debates, forums, or town halls, while also leaving them the flexibility to attend county fairs and living room conversations for the direct voter contact that matters so much in the early states. Those
principles will continue to guide these negotiations.”
MSNBC had announced it would host a debate on Thursday from New Hampshire with host Rachel Maddow and Chuck Todd moderating.
This post has been updated.
It’s a win/win as far as I’m concerned.
Hillary needs a platform right now and she always comes off well while Bernie needs to make some inroads in Florida and the Carolinas.
They’ve been keeping it civil and it serves neither one’s purpose to go for a knockout punch.
It’s to Hillary’s benefit to keep Bernie in the game and Bernie’s happy to have his message be heard which is, in turn, good for progressive politics.
In fairness, the Republican Party gives their candidates space too.
The space to agree with what the Koch brothers tell them, and ignore the will of the people.
Has tRump announced his boycott of this debate yet?
Good, the debates have been informative.
For me, lifelong democrat and diehard Obama supporter who wishes that I could vote again for the president (curse that 22nd amendment), I’m looking for the candidate most likely to preserve and extend his policies. Clinton, so far, is winning my test hands down.
This is Great News! … For John McCain!!!