Hillary Clinton and fellow Democratic candidates will square off October 13 in their first debate of the 2016 presidential campaign, the party announced Thursday, August 6, as it unveiled its primary debate schedule.
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Two additional in either February or March: One by Univision and The Washington Post in Miami, Fla., and another by PBS in Wisconsin.
The DNC said it will hold a total of six debates, with the first debate scheduled for October 13th in Nevada and hosted by CNN.
“Let’s be honest we don’t know whether (the debate schedule) has anything to do with Clinton stumbling and her current problems in the polls”, Madonna said, pointing to her creeping unfavorable ratings and the private email scandal.
The DNC has yet to release the debate schedule, even as 10 of the top-polling Republican candidates will meet on an Ohio stage Thursday for their party’s first primary debate. The Clinton apparatus had hoped that the number of debates would be modest and late in the season; just enough to give Democratic voters the illusion of a contest, but not so many as to actually invite one.
The apparently truncated debate schedule gave many Democrats an uneasy feeling regarding the party’s handling of the 2016 election.
Details on these debates will be provided later, officials said.
O’Malley for President Senior Strategist Bill Hyers said the DNC has made the debate process less democratic and does not provide voters, both nationwide but especially in early voting states, the sufficient opportunity to hear from the Democratic candidates.
“There’s an effort by a few insiders to try to limit the number of debates that we have and I’ve shared with the chair-Debbie Wasserman Schultz-that I think that’s a grave mistake and I think it’s undemocratic”, O’Malley said.
In a news release, O’Malley groused that the schedule “seems geared toward limiting debate and facilitating a coronation”.
Hillary Clinton will face the other Democratic front-runners in the upcoming townhall debate.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders urged the DNC in a letter to hold a series of debates beginning this summer, including some with Republican candidates in states that do not generally elect Democrats.
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Webb’s people did not return a request for comment, but told Politico that Webb will participate whenever, and for however many debates are held. For O’Malley and Sanders, each of whom lag Clinton in fundraising and group, debates might supply a chance to get nationwide consideration. “Unlike the Republican debates about their out-of-date agenda, we believe these debates will be a great conversation around issues that matter to everyday Americans and the Democratic ideals for moving America forward”.
