UPDATE: 8:32 p.m.
Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton has reportedly declined to participate in the Fox News debate that her opponent Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) has agreed to.
“We have declined Fox News’ invitation to participate in a debate in California. As we have said previously, we plan to compete hard in the remaining primary states, particularly California, while turning our attention to the threat a Donald Trump presidency poses,” Clinton’s spokeswoman, Jennifer Palmieri said in a statement to Bloomberg.
Sanders agreed last week to the network’s debate, tentatively planned to take place May in California, ahead of that state’s June 7 primary. Both Sanders and Clinton agreed to a total of four more debates back in February, three of which have been held already.
“We believe that Hillary Clinton’s time is best spent campaigning and meeting directly with voters across California and preparing for a general election campaign that will ensure the White House remains in Democratic hands,” Palmieri said in the statement.
Bill Sammon, VP and Washington Managing Editor, released a statement on Monday in response.
“Naturally, Fox News is disappointed that Secretary Clinton has declined our debate invitation, especially given that the race is still contested and she had previously agreed to a final debate before the California primary.”
As she should, I wish she would have gone further and said “Fox “News” is not a legitimate news network, it has no interest in contributing to this great experiment we call America except to do whatever is in its power to destroy it.”
Let’s hope President Clinton shuns them for the next 8 years too. F them and the horse they rode in on.
Not surprising, as previously discussed on TPM. She has nothing to gain by this debate, especially on a Fox (anti-Clinton, anti-Democratic) ‘yet another’ same old, same old, finger-wagging debate. Smart decision.
The Fox moderators would have attempted to crucify both Clinton and Sanders, but Clinton especially.
A wise decision, I think. I can’t believe that she or Sanders has anything new to add that didn’t get said in the previous debates and and my reaction to another one is meh. Soon enough the presidential debates are coming up. I don’t believe that she or Sanders has anything to gain from another debate and Fox News is not offering this for the benefit of the Democtatic candidates. More likely they would just sow discord where they could.
Edited for autocorrect nonsense.
Good for you, Sec. Clinton. Don’t allow Sanders and his surrogate, Fox News, to goad you into giving him free airtime. He has repeatedly disrespected you and your voters, and you owe him nothing.