Campaigning in Iowa Saturday two days before the Iowa Caucuses, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign called for a debate in crisis-stricken Flint, where children were exposed to lead poisoning after the city switched its water to the Flint River in a money-saving move.
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Buzzfeed was not able to obtain a statement from the DNC regarding whether it would sanction the new debates or not, but notes that the organization has been resisting additional debates over the last few weeks. A top adviser for Vermont Sen.
And the O’Malley campaign spokeswoman Lis Smith said that he has agreed to the additional four debates. “We are pleased to do it on March 3 before the MI primary provided the Clinton campaign will agree to Brooklyn, New York, on April 14”.
MSNBC announced Sunday that it will hold a Democratic presidential debate Thursday, Feb. 4, in New Hampshire ahead of the first-in-the-nation primary. Flint Mayor Karen Weaver has also endorsed Hillary Clinton for president, citing Clinton’s support during the ongoing water crisis.
Clinton campaign spokesman John Podesta issued a statement Saturday that the town should be a host “to keep the focus on Flint, and to lift up the historic underlying issues that Flint and too many other predominantly low-income communities of color across America are struggling with every day”.
Weaver then asked: “Why won’t they debate in Brooklyn?” The DNC and its chairperson, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, have been heavily criticized over the reduced number and freaky scheduling of this cycle’s Democratic debates, with most of the events falling on weekends, as opposed to prime-time weeknights as the Republican debates have been scheduled. She even claimed in a January debate that a campaign aide of hers and a TV appearance had prompted action by Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder.
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Clinton has said the response would have been quicker if it occurred in “a rich white suburb”. Snyder said Friday he hopes the water will be safe to drink again in three months.
