Hillary Clinton, facing an increasingly tight race for the Democratic nomination, pushed her chief rival, Bernie Sanders, to participate in an additional debate next week before the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire.
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I would like the chairman of the party and the campaigns to agree that we can debate in New Hampshire next week. “Now she is asking to change the rules to schedule a debate next week that is not sanctioned by the DNC”, Sanders Campaign Manager Jeff Weaver said in a statement.
Sarandon, who has helped raise money for the Vermont Senator’s presidential bid praised Sanders for his political courage, specifically his vote against the Iraq war and record on gay rights.
Sanders said he doesn’t believe that is the case. Sanders cut into Clinton’s 27-point lead she held last month, as he is now only 8 percentage points behind, 39 to 47 percent.
The DNC had said any candidates who participated in non-sanctioned debates would not be invited to the official six. “Sanders has significant momentum”.
Sanders said his meeting with the president was largely about domestic and foreign policy issues, specifically how to fight Islamic State and the president’s assessment of the US relationship with Iran. Adding another debate before New Hampshire’s February 9 primary would give her a large television audience that might help her reach undecided voters.
In the interview, Obama suggested the surge in support for Sanders is partly due to his role as the underdog and noted Clinton has both the privilege and burden of being perceived as the frontrunner.
“And I expect they will continue to be that way”, he said.
In that respect, Sanders finds himself in a similar situation to GOP frontrunner Donald Trump, who opted out of a Fox News debate just days before voting in Iowa. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), timed, presumably, to signal his neutrality.
“Well, count me in as one person – you know, if Secretary Clinton and Gov. O’Malley want to do it, I’m there”, Sanders told MSNBC about more debates.
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During a Saturday interview with the Washington Post, Sanders went a step further, saying that his campaign has “an excitement and energy that does not exist and will not exist in the Clinton campaign”. “And I think the (Democratic National Committee) and the campaigns should be able to work this out”.
