dem candidates Democratic candidates and voters are expressing their anger and disappointment over the announced schedule of six primary debates.
Posted on by Jason Easley

Democrats Outraged By The Number Of Presidential Debates That The Party Will Hold

dem-candidates
Democratic candidates and voters are expressing their anger and disappointment over the announced schedule of six primary debates.

Here is the Democrats’ debate schedule:

October 13, CNN, Nevada
November 14, CBS/KCCI/Des Moines Register, Des Moines, IA
December 19, ABC/WMUR, Manchester, NH
January 17, NBC/Congressional Black Caucus Institute, Charleston, SC
February or March, Univision/Washington Post, Miami, FL
February or March, PBS, Wisconsin

Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has been lobbying the DNC for months to hold more debates, expressed his disappointment, “I am disappointed, but not surprised, by the debate schedule announced by the Democratic National Committee. At a time when many Americans are demoralized about politics and have given up on the political process, I think it’s imperative that we have as many debates as possible — certainly more than six. I look forward to working with the DNC to see if we can significantly expand the proposed debate schedule.”

Martin O’Malley strategist Bill Hyers blasted the DNC, “By inserting themselves into the debate process, the DNC has ironically made it less democratic. The schedule they have proposed does not give voters—nationally, and especially in early states—ample opportunity to hear from the Democratic candidates for President. If anything, it seems geared toward limiting debate and facilitating a coronation, not promoting a robust debate and primary process. Rather than giving the appearance of rigging the process and cutting off debate, the DNC should take themselves out of the process. They should let individual and truly independent news, political, and community organizations create their own debates and allow the Democratic candidates for President to participate. There is a long, proud tradition of voters in early states like Iowa and New Hampshire getting to hear early and often from candidates for President—the DNC schedule kills that tradition, and we shouldn’t stand for it.”

These types of statements are to be expected from challengers who want to debate the frontrunner as much as possible. According to Politico, the campaign of Hillary Clinton is upset because they want fewer debates. Once again, this is to be expected because frontrunners have more to lose. A giant mistake during a debate could alter the entire campaign.

It isn’t just candidates who are upset about the small number of debates.

Ilya Sheyman of MoveOn.org tweeted:

The Democratic schedule is backloaded in an obvious attempt to play down any potential discord. Democratic voters will get one debate a month. The East and West coasts of the country are cut out of the debates. There are loads of problems with this schedule, but the biggest one is that Democratic voters want more. The party would be wise to listen to their supporters and schedule at least two more debates.

57 Replies to “Democrats Outraged By The Number Of Presidential Debates That The Party Will Hold”

  1. Regardless of the number of debates, ANY of our Candidates are far better than ANY of the Repiglican Clowns.

  2. The DNC is only trying to protect Hillary because they know Bernie Sanders will mop the floor with her and destroy her in the primaries. Debbie Wasser4man Schultz should step aside as DNC chair. I would rather see Howard Dean, or Dennis Kucinich as DNC chair.

  3. debate is an utterly fatuous term for these things. Scripted soundbites… Canned tuna… Two… perhaps three… Nixon sweats. You, sir, are no Jack Kennedy. Enough!

  4. Really? Do you really think when it comes to immigration reform he will pick up votes?
    What the Hell Did Bernie Sanders Just Say About Immigrants?

    This is probably not the kind of praise that US Sen. Bernie Sanders needs right now in his quest to become the Democratic nominee for president, but it’s based on his own recent statements on the matter of immigration reform. http://www.tsu.co/AlGiordano/74905572

    Or how your hero supports drone strikes like Clinton. Bernie Sanders on ISIS War Drones and Solutions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSfJ-kTIdcg

    So stop this bullshit that Sanders is holier than thou

  5. O’Malley said it, the DNC doesn’t want debate, they want a coronation. They want Hillary on a victory lap with a giant war chest and very few dem/ind/self caused cuts/bruises/soundbite gaffs. They want to keep Hillary as far away from mics and tv cameras as humanly possible. They want Hillary clean and ready for the general election after the conventions. And they are afraid of Bernie for sure. I’ll vote for any Dem over any Repub but I want the nominating process to at least be fair. Stacking the deck in Hillary’s favor does nobody any good.

  6. 6 Is enough. What you want to hear Webb talk about how we can get neo confederates to vote Democratic? Or do you want to hear how O’Malley can explain his failure which was noted in the show the Wire? Chaffee? A former republican who lost his last race in Rhode Island?

    The Democratic party are not a bunch of clowns trying to get book deals. There are only 2 candidates that are viable, Sanders and Clinton and if the chosen one cant close the deal in 6 what makes people think he could do it in 12 or 20?

  7. You know in 2008 the same thing was said about Clinton stacking the deck. Now if you cant organize and you have Tad Devine running your campaign what the hell do you want? Everybody just feel the bern and STFU?

  8. Six debates will not get the job done. The DNC should consider expanding the number of debates for the purpose of counteracting the Republican BS that will be shoved down the voters throats on a daily basis over the next 18 months. I really don’t understand this new passive attitude adopted by the DNC as of late. In my opinion they have to grow a new set, dig in and get ready to battle all the way to Election Day. It won’t be a cake walk as most people think.

  9. What difference does it ultimately make? I don’t care how much sugar you sprinkle on a turd, it’s still a turd! The GOP is morally and especially intellectually bankrupt! that’s why all the gimmicks and the cheating! For a product, they swear is whats good for america, WHY all the cheap gags! When a party plays simple minded americans on their FEARS! their BIGOTRY, that speaks volumes to your product, when you have to resort to RIGGING election ballets! creating LAWS to keep americans, AWAY from the polls! The GOP works for the WEALTHY! they don’t mind creating laws that even disenfranchise some of THEIR voters! they don’t mind losing a few of their voter base! because the WEALTHY will always get their say in! The GOP isn’t a political party anymore! their a tool, a mouth piece for the oligarch’s to capture the united states! BTW this isn’t the first time! j.p. morgan and the duponts, tried to overthrow the FDR administration! the oligarch’s are traitorious pigs.

  11. You know, guys… 6 debates works for the Democrats. With the Republicans already having their first debate tonight, the groundwork for the Democrats is already there… between now and the first debate means that the ground game is that much more important. Keep hammering home the points that are there for the Democrats.

    With a month and a half in between, now is the time to strike it rich.

  13. Too many supporters of Bernie Sanders are beginning to behave and sound just like the republicans in their defense of him. Fanatical and cult like.

    Lately, I’ve been able to find more than one Republican saying nice things about a Democrat for a change? They’ve been singing Bernie’s praises about how surprisingly well his campaign is going compared to Hillary’s.

    And, what is rare for a Democrat, Sanders is also scheduled to speak at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University next month.

    Attendance was mandatory for students when Ted Cruz spoke at Liberty University.

    I wonder…..

  14. From another site
    Presented without comment, from a commenter on PoliticusUSA

    The DNC is only trying to protect Hillary
    because they know Bernie Sanders will mop the floor with her and destroy
    her in the primaries. Debbie Wasser4man Schultz should step aside as
    DNC chair. I would rather see Howard Dean, or Dennis Kucinich as DNC
    chair.

    Sometimes I think are we really about progressive politics or we are just a bunch of emo progs who just want to shit on moving the country forward if we don’t get our shiny unicorns?

  15. Did you see when I said “Hello” to you earlier and got some likes?

    I think they thought I was commenting on your comment. LOL

    Hi.

  16. These debates are nothing but dog and pony shows; some gottcha questions mostly conjecture and BS. we don’t need more debates; what we need is more money to deliver the message to the voters to get out and vote and for candidates to tour the country pressing the flesh and troops on the ground to get out the votes.

  17. Democratic Party Voters are knowledgeable and perspicacious enough to make an informed decision with six debates. The tiny cohort of genuinely undecided voters will be badly jaded by all the Republican clown shows like today’s Murdochians propaganda circus with its plethora of looney loaded questions.

    Why should we take the risk that some megalomaniacal puffed up “moderator” might attempt to boost interest by demanding oversimplified responses to gotcha questions?

    I am a strong supporter of this blog, so please don’t turn it into an unofficial Sanders for President campaign site. What matters is that the Republicans are our true enemy. All our Democratic candidates would be excellent presidents —– we are spoiled for choice!

  18. Sanders followers are desperate for a champion and who can blame them. Try to overlook their behavior. They are not Bernie Sanders. Bernie Sanders is Bernie Sanders. You have nothing to worry about the “cultlike” fans.

    I am one of his supporters and I am so glad there has finally been a leader like him. He has integrity and he seems to “get” what workers need. I was hoping there would finally be someone who figured out that what happens in this country affects them too. All the money in the world will make no difference at all in a country completely unstable with reckless people in charge and all our natural resources poisoned.

    Incidentally there is that faction in HRC’s base too.

  19. I am a democrat, a liberal and a progressive. I represent nobody but myself and my views. I have come to believe that you (djchefron) represent or at least take funds from the Hillary campaign. I believe your job is to read boards like this and to step on any post that doesn’t follow the Hillary (my poop doesn’t stink) line. Be that as it may, you have the right to say it because this is America and we have the right of free speech. I’ve told you who I represent, WHO AND WHAT DO YOU REPRESENT??? ARE YOU A PAID HILLARY BLOGGER ???
    I will vote and happily work for the candidate that emerges from the democratic convention. But I want a fair fight to earn that nomination, AND I BELIEVE THAT 6 DEBATES ARE INSUFFICIENT FOR A DECISION THIS BIG!!!
    And fair warning, should you ever tell me to STFU because you don’t like what I say I will be going to the site owners to get you tossed off it. This is America and last I checked, we still have the right of free speech!

  21. You shouldn’t make such assumptions as quickly as you have. And I know they’re assumptions because I’ve been here a looooong time and DJ predates me. I’m here to tell you that you are completely and hilariously wrong.

  22. It doesn’t matter that I think the DNC is purposefully limiting debate to protect the “coronation,” I believe it is what the public will think. When in 2008 debates started in April 2007 and, I believe there were 15 debates, this time the DNC is waiting until October and limiting debates to 6 what are people supposed to conclude? Worse than limiting the debates is that the DNC has banned its candidates from debating elsewhere. The concept of free speech for Democrats has disappeared along with the NDAA, the writ of habeas corpus and numerous other purloined liberties. Most people I know will vote for Bernie and then immediately reregister out of the party which is Democratic in name only.

  23. The suggested links . . . put up a bad picture of anyone, along with the author definitely putting her/his slant on the issue and she/he (the author) can make someone look the way the author wants them to look.

  24. Paul

    What a foolish thing to say. DJ is a mod hired by Politicususa. If he’s a hired shill for Hillary Clinton, so is this website.

    Yes, DJ has strong opinions and one of them is that “progressives” who hate Clinton (and Obama too) and are obsessed with Bernie Sanders are actually doing the bidding of the Rethugs by making it much more likely that the a Rethug will win the White House. He’s not alone in that belief.

  25. Charlotte,

    Like it or not you only have two real choices in US politics – the Republicans or the Democrats. If you feel the Democrats are not progressive enough for you don’t vote – which ultimately means you’re making it more likely that the Republicans will win. But you apparently don’t care if that result happens. Unlike you, I do care as I’ve seen what happens when Republicans are in control and it ain’t pretty.

  26. I’m getting paid by Hillary? Damn the cat is out of the bag. I also have her servers and her emails tha proves that she has pictures of the DNC smoking a blunt so in her diabolical ways she has twisted the very idea of being a democrat to stop the revolution. Long live Hillary. Fuking idiot

  27. Because we have way fewer candidates than the repugs, the dems will have much more air time in each debate. We will be living heavily in the election process, and by nomination time, will be sick of the whole process. Only in USA are elections stretched out for years.

  28. It seems odd that the Democratic Party would cede the airwaves and the media to the Republicans. The Republicans will be out there spewing their saber rattling opinions with no rebuttal from the Democrats. Sounds like a losing strategy on the Democrats’ part.

    Does the party want Hillary or nobody if they can’t have Hillary?

    The Republicans have their first debate on Aug 6, and the Democrats will have no response until October 13th? What could the Republicans possibly do with a 2 month head start?

  29. I know Bernie can win. I agree you Paul. If Clinton is so sure then wth is she afraid of? This no debate stuff is so she does not have to answer ANY questions.
    ..Sanctioned DEBATES? What is that? We go from 27 down to 6? It is scheduled to leave out most of the country!

    ..NEW YORK STATE’S RECEIPT OF REGISTRATION DEADLINE: OCT 9
    …FIRST SCHEDULED DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY DEBATE: OCT 13!..
    …THE DNC HAS SCHEDULED THE FIRST PRIMARY DEBATE *AFTER* THE VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR THE PRIMARY VOTERS IN MANY STATES…
    Trump didn’t and can’t buy Bernie Sanders. ‪#‎feelthebern‬ ‪#‎BernieSanders2016‬
    ..Where are our debates?

  30. Here’s evidence that the decision is biased:

    Has Clinton complained about the number of debates and when they’ll take place? No. Have the other Democratic candidates complained that the decision favors Clinton? YES!

  33. People of all stripes tuned in to watch the republican primary last night. If a similar audience watches the democratic primaries, and there are more than 6 of them, then people who are not lifelong democrats will have more of an opportunity to get to know the candidates and may choose to vote for a democratic candidate rather than a republican, either by changing party preference for the primary or just voting in the general. This isn’t about republicans being “the enemy” – it is about educating as many of our potential friends as possible, so they can vote in their own interests.

  34. When we don’t know where a candidate stands we vote on faith? They have to give us the words from their own mouth so we can decide if we can trust them. If they want to be the leader of our nation we need all the information we can get. It is up to us what to take on faith,what to prove or disprove and who fits our purpose for America. One of those most important issues is war.. Bernie Sanders does not want war. He believes the Middle East should take responsibility for what they want. Trump didn’t and can’t buy Bernie Sanders.. ‪#‎feelthebern‬ ‪#‎BernieSanders2016‬

  35. I agree EuroDragon!
    Trump didn’t and can’t buy Bernie Sanders.. ‪#‎feelthebern‬ ‪#‎BernieSanders2016‬

  37. Obama beat her with his words in 2008. She knows she can’t beat Bernie Sanders either..

    Trump didn’t and can’t buy Bernie Sanders.. ‪#‎feelthebern‬ ‪#‎BernieSanders2016‬

  38. No and its President Obama. The President beat her because he out organized her and knew the rules in stacking delegates. If you would stop feeling the bern and read, depending on how the votes were counted SOS Hillary Clinon actully won the popular primary votes.

  40. So you lose out on a couple of commentary debates and suddenly you’re all so eager to scuttle ship of state in favor of the Republicans?

    The only DINO here- is you.

  42. What DJ said. Everytime I was accused here of being a paid shill for the Clintons’ I had to wonder how nice it would be to get a check in the mail from them and from the DNC for my 50 years of defending them!

    I am gonna be a gazillionaire when I get paid – for all my “free” posts and thousands of hours of volunteering all these years.

    Hillary did win every single big state despite being against an absolute juggernaut of organizing and oration – who btw shared her same base. This time, not close, NO comparison between 08 and 16.

    And you are leaving out Edwards and Richardson helping Obama almost all along plus the whole DNC working for OBAMA all along and all the powerful members of the party!

    This time, they were all quietly aligned, before she even announced!!! behind her all the way. They are silent right now. But wait, they are all holding their tongues but they are all there.

    She had more votes in a primary than anyone. She holds the record.

  43. The problem with rebutting Bullshit, is that those who spout it- are an endless source of new bullshit.
    If we took the time to rebut all of it, the bullshit artists would claim that because we took the time to cry foul, that we knew that they were for real.

    Example: The Ken Ham/Bill Nye debate.

  44. I give Bernie a minor praise- I get upvoted by his followers and castigated by Hillary followers.

    Vis vis the opposite.

    Interesting to watch the Democrats (no few DINO’s Here) act like Republicans in this.

    If your candidate cannot handle a mere 6 debates, then it doesn’t matter how many debates are lined up.

  46. Charlotte said: “Most people I know will vote for Bernie and then immediately reregister out of the party which is Democratic in name only.”

    Charlotte, I called you and your type crossover republicans in the past. You are saying the Democratic party is bad and Bernie supporters should not support it. That is very odd to me.

    Note the headline above. “Democrats Outraged By The Number Of Presidential Debates That The Party Will Hold” so the “democrats who are outraged” are the ones who are democrats for a day?

    Like Rush Limbaugh wants?

    Why don’t you just say you are standing behind Jeb! all the way and get it out in the open?

    I am for Hillary. I am not outraged there will be 6 debates in the fall. I AM a Dem.

    Where is the logic of this site? Dems aren’t outraged. Dems for a day are. Crossover voters for Jeb want blood in the water, Hillary’s blood in the water specifically.

    I want to beat Bush/Rubio! I am a Dem for life – and I vote and volunteer always.

  47. I am a lifetime Democrat and I am “not” outraged. This is a completely different race from the GOPers and the 2008 Democratic Primary.

    I agree with some of the comments above, if you have not figured it out by now, more debates won’t help.

  48. 6 debates is more than enough to hear from a bunch of politicians, either from the left or right. These election cycles start to early, cost too much money and distract too much from every day work issues. The working public has enough to do to get through the day. I would say that 4-6 debates, if well run, should give us all enough to think about.

  49. I think you’re right and wasserman-schultz is afraid that Hillary will look bad in contrast to Bernie. That being said, I will vote for Hillary if it comes to that because the repuke side is just so sick and destructive and disgusting.

  51. The DNC is acting more like a corrupt arm of the Oligarchy than Democrats.

    To only have six debates is one thing. To not START them until October is most DEFINITELY about protecting Hillary and not wanting other candidates to persuade voters away from her.

    There is no doubt. If Hillary voters don’t want to believe it they are in denial. They most certainly then are not aware of the MANY ways that establishment Dems have been attempting to make this a CORONATION and Shove Hillary DOWN OUR THROATS! I have never seen anything like it before.

    If Hillary supporters want to understand the anger of supporters of Other Dem candidates they should TRY to see what has really been going on for the rest of us & Then You ‘Might’ Begin to understand why For Us This election is about THE PEOPLE Vs Oligarchy/Status Quo.

    WE Are Mobilizing to Restore Democracy, Economic Opportunity, and Quality of Life to ALL the American People. #Bernie2016 #TogetherWEWin

  52. Funny how your talking points sound exactly like the ones that Right Wing blowhards use against President Obama and even Hillary Clinton. Here’s the script. Proclaim without any justification that supporters of a candidate or policy that you dislike have elevated that candidate to sainthood and any policy proposal to the ultimate solution of what ever problem needs to be solved.

    Bernie Sanders is not a saint, he is a very bright guy who also tries to find moral solutions to existing problems. Trying to do that does not mean he will always accomplish that. If you actually listened to his response regarding drones, he clearly noted that as President he will work at eliminating or at least lowering the use and the the ineffective use of drones. If you want to call that hedging, your damnn right. As a senator he is not privy to all the information the President has, he is hedging because he does not want, as many new Presidents find out, that they will need to reverse their position.

  53. What talking points? Since 2004 there has always been 6 sanction debates. Those are the facts. Now if you or anyone else will put up the money to have debates that are unsanctioned then do it. I don’t know what you were listening to but he said in the video that I posted he will use drones selectively whatever the fuk that means.
    Damn you would think I put words in his mouth. You people are just like the teabaggers. If you don’t toe the line then off with your head

  55. Remember how Republicans seemed to hold a “debate” every other day in 2012? Remember the Pizza dude and his cigarette-smoking man claiming “freedom”?? Remember the stupid stuff Perry said? Romney said? They ALL said?

    Sure, MOST of that was because they were, in fact, idiots but SOME was just because of mental exhaustion … and, afterwards, they allowed as how that was NOT a smart thing to do.

    So what do Democrats want THIS time?? Yeah, let’s do THAT.

    No, we do NOT want that. Bernie’s a nice guy and all and he’s the best of the field — either Dem or Rethug — BUT he’s never gonna win against anyone BUT Trump and that’s too big of a risk.

    Keep the number as is, let Bernie push HRC to the left a little bit and it’s all good.

  56. Are you kidding me?
    I watched the YouTube link You cite as proof that Sanders is some sort of Democratic war monger and Sanders is very detailed about drone strikes, he calls them failures. That no they’re not out of the question but the whole way in which we use them has to be re-evaluated to stop all collateral damage.
    But most of all Sanders says that we need to keep American troops off the ground when it comes to ISIS. That Saudi Arabia, with the third largest military needs to lead the battle there.
    I wonder, did you watch this video before citing it?

  57. Yes I did and he said he would be more selective in the use of drone strikes. Now I don’t speak bernbotnese but WTF does that mean?

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