Why Some Democrats Aren't Giving Up on More Debates

[mhatrw]

Source: ABC News

As Republican presidential hopefuls gather for their second nationally televised debate in California, across the country this evening a group of Democrats are planning a protest in front of the Democratic Party headquarters in Washington, D.C., over the number of debates allowed for their candidates. “There is a reason debates have been a central feature of democracy since ancient Greece,” Ben Doernberg, founder of a group called “Allow Debate,” which is organizing the protest, said in an interview with ABC News. “Democrats are excited about their candidates this year. It is a huge mistake to give the stage over to Republicans.”

Doernberg said his group plans to present the Democratic National Committee with a petition signed by over 20,000 people. They are also bringing their guitars for a special rendition of this song written by one of the volunteers, encouraging people to call the DNC and ask for more debates. ...

Months later, he has become as frustrated with the power structure in the party as the debates themselves. “It was really a shock to realize that on this issue the DNC is a dictatorship,” Doernberg said. ...

Allow Debate promises to keep fighting through the primary season. “She thinks this issue is going to go away,” Doernberg said, referring to Wassermann Schultz. “She thinks if she can make it to the first debate in October, people will give up and acquiesce. That’s not going to happen. Six debates is maybe two questions on climate change, maybe three. It is just not enough if you care deeply about an issue and want to understand where the candidates differ.”

Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/democrats-giving-debates/story?id=33794739

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Allow Debate is rallying in DC today!

[Le Taz Hot]

1. DWS isn't doing our bidding and isn't going to.

We all know who's bidding she's doing. She's also tone deaf because climbing up the political/gravy train ladder is her only goal.

[n2doc]

2. DWS's job is to provide cover

If HRC wanted more debates, she could have them. Does anyone seriously think DWS would keep Hillary out of the official debates?

[Gore1FL]

15. I agree with Le Taz Hot's inexplicably hidden post.

I don't give to the DNC anymore (and haven't for a while) because they sold out to non-Democratic ideals. I give to individual candidates.

I guess this will get hidden too?

[n2doc]

16. That was hidden?

The admins need to redo their system. It has been abused too much. And I say this about not just this post but many others in other groups.

[Flying Squirrel]

21. The truth stings sometimes

I'm guessing someone objected to the term "Goldman-Sachs candidate." Yep, the jury system is gonna be hard pressed to deal fairly with this primary - and to think, four more 4-3 decisions like this and she would get a nice long time-out for being just a tad bit too blunt with the truth.

[beltanefauve]

17. I couldn't find

anything rude, over-the-top or otherwise hide-worthy about this post.

[Ichingcarpenter]

20. Ridiculous Hide they should be ashamed who voted for it

[frylock]

22. Evidently, referencing Clinton's ties to Goldman-Sachs is now a hideable offense..

I guess people are ashamed of those ties.

[mhatrw]

25. Can we hide all posts that reference Sanders ties to Cornel West?

Or is it only referencing tie$ that bind that gets you hidden?

[Enthusiast]

27. Me too.

[MisterP]

19. how is a post against feeding the DNC with whatever little money we could scrape together after

sweating night and day for it hideable?

are we supposed to give up our sweat to people who say we need to bleed?

[LiberalArkie]

3. As they see it, why have a debate when only 1 person is running.

[BeyondGeography]

4. It won't go away because it's not about six debates

It's about a grand total of one each in IA and NH between now and Feb. it will be easy to stoke up resentment against HRC (make that additional resentment among her many non-fans in those states) over this issue well after the first debate in NV next month, because her opponents will have up to 3.5 months to complain about it, including more than two months between the lone debate in IA and NH and when people actually vote in those states.

It's all so predictable and it makes her entire campaign look like an exercise in arrogant tomfoolery. The simple solution is to add a couple of debates, one each in both of those states, closer to caucus and primary night. That would defuse the whole thing but I wouldn't hold my breath.

[stillwaiting]

5. Very possibly 4 debates before Super Tuesday.

More than 25% of our primaries could be decided with only 4 debates (scheduled at the most inopportune of times) preceding them. No doubt DWS is hoping that the Establishment candidate has it sewn up by then (because apparently winning all of the Southern states that a Democrat will most likely not win in the GE is the most important thing this go round).

It's completely unacceptable.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. debates........

The young Clinton, who has a daughter of her own, says she believes that as more Americans get a chance to hear from Hillary Rodham Clinton they’ll understand “why I believe so strongly that she would make a great president.”


https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/chelsea-clinton-its-surprising-not-everyone-loves-my-mom/2015/09/15/44c4c4d2-5c21-11e5-8475-781cc9851652_story.html

Hear that, Hillary? All you have to do is start speaking more, and people will realize how much they support you.

Hey, that's a great idea!
Maybe Hillary could work to set up a venue in which all candidates can express their contrasting ideas. Perhaps on a stage, which an audience, and podiums, and impartial party(s) asking a series of questions, in order to clarify each of the candidates's platforms to the public. Do they have a term for such an event?

[merrily]

8. As it is, the first debate is scheduled for after some primary deadlines have expired, most

notably in New York. In New York, you have be registered Democratic to vote in the Democratic primary. That is going to exclude a lot of Bernie fans who are not up to speed on primary laws. Another debate is the Saturday before Christmas, when no one will paying attention, assuming they are home: it's a night for many Christmas parties. Other debates are after Super Tuesday.

Diabolical and anti-democracy.

[restorefreedom]

11. diabolical. nailed it. nt

[MsLeopard]

23. And so blatently obvious about it

DWS may as well wear a sign saying she knows her only hope of having a job after the 2016 election is to keep doing what she's doing.

[Enthusiast]

28. This is particularly disturbing.

[merrily]

31. Indeed it is, Enthusiast. Indeed it is.

This can be explained only by the arrogance of "The left has nowhere else to go."

[appalachiablue]

9. K & R. Ben Doenrberg is right, Dems. are excited about candidates and want more debates to

cover important issues for the voting public. We have lost valuable, irretrievable TIME, MEDIA COVERAGE and VOTES from this extreme, restricted DNC debate schedule. The obstinance is undemocratic, dictator-like, unprecedented and has to stop. The pressure will not go away to change this before we lose more time and exposure.

All the best Ben and the protestors in DC today at DNC HQ!

[cpompilo]

10. O'Malley, Sanders, Biden (if he runs) should hold their own debates. Hillary can debate herself or

join the others (works either way IMO). Fuck Wassermann-Schultz and her undemocratic attempt to manipulate the primary election to her wishes (Hillary of course).

[restorefreedom]

12. and thanks to hillary wasserman schultz

once again, the entire country is talking about the republican field because of tonight's SECOND gop debate.

we must not forget: ws has sold out the country, democracy itself, and whatever shreds are left of her "party." she DOES NOT CARE about the general, it can go to a repub. she has one goal..to help hillary be the nom.

and when she fails on an epic scale, her party will be in tatters, embarrassed and broken, and it will be up to to the real progressives to build a new party that represents true progressivism.

and if there is any justice, deb will be on a street corner holding a tin can and asking passers by for a sandwich.

[jalan48]

13. Does the DNC actually think this issue will go away after the election?

People remember these things. It's only serving to harm the health of the party.

[SoapBox]

14. Me thinks...

Little Debbie doesn't give a shit about anyone but Ms. Inevitable.

[C Moon]

18. Off topic a bit: I don't normally watch CNN, but it was on the screen where I was at yesterday...

(Monday), and they had a damn clock on the side of the screen counting down the hours/minutes/seconds to the next GOP debate.
WTF has CNN turned into?

[merrily]

24. How about NBC? Fitzgerald recorded a report that begins with "We're coming to you from

hallowed ground," meaning the Reagan Presidential Library.



I mean, I know some of us refer to him as St. Ronnie, but jeez!

[C Moon]

26. ...

[Enthusiast]

29. CNN has gone clear over to the dark side.

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[C Moon]

30. Following the money, most likely.