Martin O'Malley Says He Asked Bernie Sanders To Debate. Sanders Said No.

[Cali_Democrat]

Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley has tried to hold more debates, even without the party's blessing, he said Tuesday. He said he even asked fellow Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to debate him.

Sanders turned him down, O'Malley told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

"You think I haven't done that?" O'Malley said when former DNC Chairman Howard Dean asked him why he didn't challenge Sanders to a one-on-one debate.

"I've done that," he continued. "I asked Sen. Sanders. Sen. Sanders doesn't want to do more debates either. He kind of liked where it is."


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/martin-omalley-bernie-sanders-debate_56828cede4b0b958f65a5bc9

[leftofcool]

1. M'OM and Dean are now under the bus for this.

[MoonRiver]

2. Getting pretty crowded undr there!

[ljm2002]

19. So pointing out an extremely misleading statement...

...aka "lying", is throwing someone under the bus?

O'Malley knows that Sanders did want more debates, but was unwilling to break the DNC rules. Saying that Bernie did not want more debates is a lie. Failing to mention the exclusivity clause is very, very misleading.

OTOH, given O'Malley's polling numbers, it's no wonder he is lashing out.

[Jackilope]

30. Exactly. This is not an issue.

The limited debates, yes. That was a set up at the get go by DNC.

[yuiyoshida]

31. This!

[tblue37]

36. Since he is a "new" Democrat, for this campaign specifically, I suspect that

Bernie wants to adhere to DNC rules as much as possible, to avoid being smeared with the "not a real Democrat" brush that is so often wielded against him.

[George II]

54. How do we know it's either "an extremely misleading statement, aka lying"?

OTOH, given the results of polls after each of the first three debates, no wonder Sanders is happy with the number and schedule of debates.

[ljm2002]

56. We know, because Sanders was vocal...

...in asking for more debates.

Please see this post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=956434

for further information, since apparently you are one of those DUers with the attention span of a gnat who cannot remember what was said during this campaign -- and who cannot, apparently, use Teh Google.

[seabeyond]

23. An amazing number of Dems under the bus in order to keep a nonDemocrat on a pedestal. Nt

[roguevalley]

66. martin is fine. Dean however knows that the DNC will bar both of them

from further debates to his actions suck and I like Dean.

[fasttense]

75. He CAN NOT debate or he will be kicked off the DLC debates

It's in the agreement Sanders and O'Mally signed with the DLC for the debates and both of those men know that. If they participate in any other debates besides those sanctioned by the DLC then they CANNOT participate in the DLC debates.

Why Dean and O'Mally are pretending otherwise is ver strange and not a lie I expected to hear from them.

[Lochloosa]

3. Really?

On that front, one requirement stands out in the DNC's announcement: the committee has asked candidates and participants (that is, the media) to sign an exclusivity pledge. "Any candidate or debate sponsor wishing to participate in DNC debates, must agree to participate exclusively in the DNC-sanctioned process. Any violation would result in forfeiture of the ability to participate in the remainder of the debate process," says a release from the committee.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/05/05/heres-what-we-know-about-the-democratic-primary-debates/

[riversedge]

6. The OP is not talking about the sanctioned debabtes.

[Lochloosa]

15. I understand that but the DNC made it clear they did not want unsanctioned debates.

[SusanCalvin]

25. And would punish, or attempt to punish, any who participated.

Which, unless Hillary also bolted, they would have.

[Warren Stupidity]

37. The DNC.

[yardwork]

49. If Bernie can't manage the DNC, how will he manage China?

Being president requires a little more deftness. I suspect that Sanders has that, actually. He's been a senator for many years.

I suspect that Sanders was fine with the number and format of the debates. If he really wanted them changed, he would have figured out a way.

[SusanCalvin]

61. Could be, I guess.

I'm not very deft myself, so I often don't recognize it unless it's pointed out. Fortunately, I am not running for office.

[AtheistCrusader]

72. Maybe he'll just decline to engage on the debate question, like Hillary.

Hillary's team stated it declined to participate in O'Malley's debate debate.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-08-14/what-if-martin-o-malley-or-bernie-sanders-disobey-the-dnc-on-debates-

That China swipe is cheap, low, and pathetically transparent.


http://www.democrats.org/Post/dnc-to-sanction-six-presidential-primary-debates
[font color="red" size="40" face="face"]

While a six sanctioned debate schedule is consistent with the precedent set by the DNC during the 2004 and 2008 cycles, this year the DNC will further manage the process by implementing an exclusivity requirement. Any candidate or debate sponsor wishing to participate in DNC debates, must agree to participate exclusively in the DNC-sanctioned process. Any violation would result in forfeiture of the ability to participate in the remainder of the debate process.

[/font]

[fasttense]

82. And Dean and O'Mally know this

So they are making manipulative statements to make Sanders look bad.

Just another dirty trick by Hillary supporters.

[yardwork]

96. O'Malley is a Hillary supporter?

[fasttense]

108. I think he is running for Hillary's VP

And of course Dean, who I use to admire, came out for her.

[TM99]

86. Oh, Sanders is managing the DNC just fine when it matters.

How's the lawsuit and third party audit going?

[AtheistCrusader]

43. NO SHIT.

If Bernie went to debate O'Malley, he'd be EXCLUDED from the sanctioned debates, per DWS/Exclusivity Rule.

And you know it.

[yardwork]

51. That's not how politics works.

Politicians on the national stage know how to get around minor problems.

[AtheistCrusader]

53. And if he did

You'd be bitching that he defied the Party rules.

[yardwork]

94. Not me. I expect successful politicians to overcome barriers.

I think there is much too much focus on minutiae here on DU.

[AtheistCrusader]

97. Oh please. There was nationwide outrage when the rule was announced.

[NurseJackie]

4. This link also crossed my path ...

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/trackers/2015-12-29/o-malley-i-couldn-t-get-sanders-to-join-unsanctioned-debates

[riversedge]

5. O’Malley Accuses Sanders of Not Wanting More Debates

And the tweet to go with it.


O’Malley Accuses Sanders of Not Wanting More Debates http://bloom.bg/1OWFFBX #uniteblue #p2 #nhpolitics

[NCTraveler]

7. K&R

O'Malley has been great. He has also taken some really good shots at Clinton and Sanders. He does so with forethought. Some have been real stingers.

Seems he really has some riled up with this one. Sometimes the truth stings.

[Koinos]

10. They all want O'Malley to go away.

I really admire his persistence, drive, courage, humanity, and humor.

Something about that Catholic social justice upbringing keeps him going.

Even if he loses the primary, he will be a winner in my view.

[cali]

64. I doubt they care if he stays or goes.

[nxylas]

80. I've never heard anyone say a bad word against O'Malley (until today)

If anything, I think that Sanders supporters are dancing around the fact that O'Malley has never polled in double digits, for fear of sounding like the Clintonites with their "he can't win" bullshit. Or maybe that's just me.

[AtheistCrusader]

89. If he said something like this

'You know, Sanders didn't really lift a finger to push back against the Exclusivity Rule', I'd disagree and talk it over, but it wouldn't be such a blatant lie. It would be in the 'grey zone' of political speak, and I'd consider it fair game.

What he did do, is very different. Extremely cheap shit. And I am pissed.
I expect better of people like him.

It doesn't take much dirty pool to burn credibility. Not much at all.

[AtheistCrusader]

44. Funny how you think a lie of omission is 'the truth'.

[NCTraveler]

52. I don't think a lie of omission is the truth.

Very strange.

[AtheistCrusader]

55. And yet here you are, still calling it the truth after multiple posters supplied you with documentat

ion that DWS/DNC rules forbade Sanders from accepting such a debate, if Sanders wanted any chance to debate the actual candidate he needs to beat.

[NCTraveler]

58. Correct. I believe O'Malley and Dean.

It's getting tough these days when a certain group is yelling that everyone is a lire or part of a conspiracy.

Dean Rocks!!!
O'Malley Rocks!!!!

[AtheistCrusader]

65. It's not a conspiracy if it's right there on the DNC website.

It's right here: http://www.democrats.org/Post/dnc-to-sanction-six-presidential-primary-debates
[font color="red" size="40" face="face"]

While a six sanctioned debate schedule is consistent with the precedent set by the DNC during the 2004 and 2008 cycles, this year the DNC will further manage the process by implementing an exclusivity requirement. Any candidate or debate sponsor wishing to participate in DNC debates, must agree to participate exclusively in the DNC-sanctioned process. Any violation would result in forfeiture of the ability to participate in the remainder of the debate process.

[/font

You've been lied to by O'Malley.

Hillary's team stated it declined to participate in O'Malley's debate debate. Which is an answer in itself, and I've yet to see a O'Malley supporter acknowledge that FACT either.
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-08-14/what-if-martin-o-malley-or-bernie-sanders-disobey-the-dnc-on-debates-

[NCTraveler]

67. That isn't what I'm debating.

Nice deflection.

[AtheistCrusader]

70. You're supporting O'Malley's lie.

"I asked Sen. Sanders. Sen. Sanders doesn't want to do more debates either. He kind of liked where it is."

That's a lie. Sanders repeatedly called for more, then followed the party rules and proceeded with the sanctioned debates.

This is a pathetic, thin, transparent and obvious attempt to either bait Sanders out of the sanctioned debates, or hurt him with a smear about his desire to participate in more debates.

I note O'Malley didn't say shit about Hillary (Not the first time I mentioned it to you) even though she ALSO declined to do an unsanctioned debate.

I can smell your bullshit from here.

[ljm2002]

60. Sorry but the evidence is all over DU this morning...

...and it is clear that you do not consider a lie of omission to be a lie. At least, not when it's O'Malley taking potshots at Sanders.

Own it.

[Amimnoch]

59. As the only other actual Democrat in the race, he'd be my 2nd choice.

He's got actual achievements, accomplishments, and has been with the party for longer than politically convenient to run in this election.

If he doesn't win the primary, he'd make one hell of a great cabinet position, or possibly even VP.

[BlueMTexpat]

90. Mine too. eom

[Koinos]

8. Why am I not surprised?

K & R

[Schema Thing]

9. This isn't news. We all heard it as it happened.

O'Malley and Bernie both want more debates. Bernie declined to go outside of the DNC rules at the time.


A debate w/o Hillary present does Bernie no good. Getting kicked out of the few debates there are with Hillary does Bernie no good.

[LonePirate]

13. Do you actually believe Sanders and O'Malley would be kicked from future "official" debates?

It is not a debate when there is only one person on the stage.

[Sheepshank]

20. Rachel Maddow et al, found a way around the "debate" issue

Why not more of those types of events?

[Schema Thing]

21. And it's hardly a debate w/o Hillary there.

y'know, Hillary? The person Bernie needs to beat in order to win?

[Amimnoch]

62. In other words, he's only interested in doing something if it's politically beneficial?

Hmmm, which candidate is always being accused of that on this board again??




The irony:

Hillary, because she is the front-runner (and as every Front-runner in history has done) has no interest in pushing for additional debates, but will support the ones that the party has setup. For this she gets criticized. Now because debating O'Malley without Hillary there (because O'Malley is so far behind Bernie) Bernie plays by the same rules..

And he's defended in this thread by his devoted for doing so.

This is "Hilarious"

[Schema Thing]

79. Bernie very openly asked for more debates.

The DNC did not acquiesce. End of story.

[Amimnoch]

99. Read the OP?

Guess not.

[thesquanderer]

29. I think DWS and Hillary would be perfectly happy cancelling the remaining debates

and an "unsanctioned" debate would give them an easy excuse to do it.

[seabeyond]

26. Per Omalley, Sansders was comfortable with 6. Contradicts what you are saying. NT

[AtheistCrusader]

45. O'Malley is omitting the exclusivity rule.

That makes him a liar.

So, no, doesn't contradict a damn thing.

“We need a lot more debates in this campaign,” Sanders said. “I hope very much that we can begin with the Democratic candidate debates as early as July and have some Republicans in those debates as well.”

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/05/sanders-wants-to-debate-republicans-118460

O'Malley is lying.

[seabeyond]

73. No, it does not make Omalley a liar and it amazes me how quickly Sanders supporters will point to

two respected dems calling them liars. They need to clarify their statements and answer the question of the exclusivity rule. I want to hear a comment from Sanders too.

I can see all of them having reasons for their statements, that none of them are liars and have reasons for saying what they have.

But, this "hang 'em" with our dems? Bullshit.

[AtheistCrusader]

78. Dean did craft the 6 debate schedule.

But not the exclusivity rule. That was DWS. (She may have talked to him about it, but she instituted it.) Lie of omission. Sanders isn't ALLOWED to do an unsanctioned debate if he ever wants to share a stage with Hillary again.

There's no question to answer. O'Malley took a cheap, dishonest shot with a lie of omission at Sanders. He also studiously avoided any mention of Hillary's position not to even DISCUSS the issue of sanctioned/unsanctioned debates.

Sanders HAS called for more debates. He obeyed the DNC rule. O'Malley should be ashamed of that shit. That is clearly a lie of omission.

[Schema Thing]

46. But of course we know this isn't true because we use our big ears to listen.

[ljm2002]

48. But that just reinforces the fact...

...that for some reason O'Malley is willing to lie about this.

We all KNOW that Sanders wanted more debates, because he SAID SO, and quite publicly. Apparently a lot of DUers have the attention span of a gnat.

Here is one recent article from the NYTimes:

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/12/18/martin-omalley-and-bernie-sanders-bristle-at-holding-debates-on-weekends/

There was much discussion over the number of Democratic debates that would be held in this cycle, with Martin O’Malley and Senator Bernie Sanders pushing for more opportunities to face off publicly with Hillary Clinton.

So the New York Times knows Bernie wanted more debates.

Then there is this:

https://go.berniesanders.com/page/s/debates

Sign the Petition

Debate Early and Often: Ask the Democratic Party to start the presidential debates.

So the evidence is right there on the berniesanders.com web site.

And this:

https://www.change.org/p/democratic-national-committee-debbie-wasserman-schultz-give-senator-bernie-sanders-a-fair-chance-by-increasing-number-of-sanctioned-debates

We believe that Senator Bernie Sanders is the best qualified candidate for President of the United States and that he is being treated unfairly by the DNC, by denying his request to hold more sanctioned debates.

How public does he have to be in expressing his preference for more debates? Obviously it does not matter. Now we have Democrats on this very board who are happy to promote falsehoods, as long as it benefits their candidate and hurts Sanders.

Which tells me, the Sanders surge is real.

Go Bernie!!!!!

[seabeyond]

68. Sanders could have equally been lying. I do not know. You do not know. What he said to Omalley

may have been different than what he has said to supports to ramp up the drum beat of anger at DNC, and being unfair.

We do not know. But at least I know that there could be much more to the story and I want to hear it without calling one or the other liars.

[ljm2002]

76. Actually, we DO know...

...Sanders asked for more debates.

The end.

[seabeyond]

81. Knowing he wouldn't get them. A game? No, we do not know.

[ljm2002]

88. Weak sauce. n/t

[seabeyond]

91. Not really.

[Autumn]

11. Oh no!!! So sad

Darn that Bernie for going along with the rules set by that person in charge of the DNC, further proof there that he hates the party.

[dragonlady]

27. If he had decided not to comply with the rules

He would have been severely criticized for dissing a party that he has not been an official member of in the past. A case of damned if you do . . .

[Autumn]

38. No matter what Bernie does

the result is he's wrong... or not good enough.... or whatever. You can almost taste the desperation that some have.

[lame54]

12. Why should he...

it would not help Sanders to punch down

O'Malley is running for the next election - not this one

[ucrdem]

14. They could have gotten around the exclusivity clause in any number of ways if they'd wanted to.

Town halls, Dem-vs-GOP formats, Frontline-style network specials, cable news shows, you name it. The "Debbie wouldn't let me but I really wanted to" line is a typical Bernie meme that falls apart at close inspection, like the claim that he marched with ML King Jr in 1963, which, it turns out, he did not: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=851485

[Sheepshank]

22. The candidates already did one event with Maddow.

There are lots of ways to get the exposure Bernie supporters state is not available unless there are more debates. Besides, Bernie has yet to come out of a debate as a clear front runner. He should be grateful, and judging by what so many have implied on this thread, he knows it too. His messaging is stale...I can't imagine listening to that same message over 12 debates.

[ucrdem]

28. Bernie lost his summer lead in the first 30 minutes of the first debate.

First he let Cooper trip him up on socialism, giving Hillary an opening for her "progressive who gets things done" line, and then Hillary clobbered him on guns. He's never recovered and more debates are the last thing he needs. He does much better on Twitter and Reddit.

[BlueMTexpat]

92. My view too.

About this:

more debates are the last thing he needs

He's a good candidate, a decent person, and I will proudly vote for him if he is the Dem nominee. But debates are not his forte, at least not debates with Hillary and Martin. Bernie's stump speech is outstanding and I love the economic issues that he raises. But when he is presented with a non-economic issue where he has to think on his feet and adapt not only to the questions but to the responses of the other candidates, he is not quite as strong.

On the other hand, MOM is an excellent debater.

[Uponthegears]

101. Yep

And I'm a Bernie guy . . . BUT 2016 Blue.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. What was Hillary's reaction? Did he ask her for a one on one debate?

[SunSeeker]

18. It's Bernie who has been claiming he wants more debates, not Hillary. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

69. Well, we certainly know that Hillary doesn't want to risk more debates.

[SunSeeker]

71. Her numbers went up after every debate with Sanders. nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

74. Why isn't she demanding more debates if that's the case?

Then she could cut down on the corporate donations and rely on her political skills to get the nomination in lieu of glossy commercials and heart-warming photo ops.

[CoffeeCat]

17. Sanders and O'Malley joined forces to add one more debate

Iowa's Black and Brown Forum has always been in debate-style format. Candidates appear on stage together and debate with each other. The event has always been highly anticipated by Iowans, because it falls within a month before the caucuses. The format is a bit more relaxed, so candidates are able to really go after one another. It's not as staged and controlled as most other debates.

Well guess what? This year, because of HNC rules--for the first time in Iowa history (and the Black and Brown Forum has been a DEBATE since it's founding more than 30 year ago!) the event was watered down into a joke.

Candidates appear on stage alone. No debate. No interaction. Basically, a glorified stump speech.

Wonderful. How exciting.

O'Malley and Sanders spoke out against this and fought to get the forum reinstated to its original and longstanding format. They worked together recently to do this. Hillary had no comment (shocker).

You want to talk about local Iowa news. This has and will piss people off, as this event draws near (Jan 11). It's a joke now. All because Hillary doesn't want to be on stage in a debate that is not as orchestrated and staged as she'd like. And she gets to hide behind the HNC and their rules--which favor her.

Don't think that Iowans don't notice this! Because we do! And we're not happy!

O'Malley is taking swipes because this is the last month before the Iowa caucus. It's possible that Hillary had a hand in this. I could see her camp sidling up to O'Malley and talking them into joining forces. Bernie definitely has the momentum in Iowa and both camps would benefit by dinging Sanders.

[SusanCalvin]

35. Very, very interesting. Thank you. nt

[DisgustipatedinCA]

24. The children's table is reserved for Republican debates.

What an embarrassing OP.

[valerief]

32. And is Bernie supposed to forfeit future DNC debates to have an

unsanctioned debate with O'Malley? Nuh-uh.

[jalan48]

33. What's O'Malley polling at?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

34. The meme that "Bernie can't debate" is right up there with "Obama needs a teleprompter"....

Nice to see the Hillary folks eat it up.

[mgmaggiemg]

39. O'malley

should just do interviews about what he thinks he can fight for....

[stupidicus]

40. my my, and had he who woulda been the first to breathlessly top post

about his disrespecting the party if not the voters too?

Oh that's right, even the guilty here know the answer to that, no?

[Jackilope]

41. Our Lady of Perpetual Triangular Motion (St. HRC) is most pleased

with the distraction and attempt at a new scandal she isn't involved in.

O'Malley was correct in challenging DNC to schedule more debates. He also has nothing to lose by not following rules DNC placed on outside debates. DNC rigged the limited debates for the preferred Lady of Perpetual Triangular Motion, kicking or denying debate communion at DNC sanctioned debates if they didn't play by the rules.

Disciple Dean certainly cannot fault a brother for following the imposed DNC rules, can he?

[Cleita]

42. Well Thom Hartmann has said it's a big fat lie and played a clip

of Bernie saying more debates were needed.

[fredamae]

47. Ever Heard of Dems Exclusivity Clause? n/t

[George II]

50. So, despite the protestations of his supporters, Sanders is apparently happy with the debate....

....schedule and number of debates.

[Douglas Carpenter]

57. No, he is not and that has been explained endlessly. It would be pointless

to go over the facts anymore since people don't want to listen.

[brooklynite]

77. Let's review...

Sanders: "There should be more debates"

DNC: "No"

Sanders: "Well, I tried"

Will that be his leadership style as President?

[Cleita]

83. I hope so.

It's pointless to pick a fight over something that is too late to change. However, when he becomes President, you can be sure any Koch Bros. puppets will find themselves out of positions of power very quickly regardless of their party affiliation.

[AtheistCrusader]

84. You forgot Hillary.

Hillary: "I'm just going to show up. When I'm told to show up I'll be there."

Difference is, I used an actual quote, where you are attempting to paraphrase, even though you're using double quotes.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-08-14/what-if-martin-o-malley-or-bernie-sanders-disobey-the-dnc-on-debates-

Will that be Hillary's leadership style as President?

[SunSeeker]

63. K & R

[jwirr]

85. With the exclusivity rule Sanders would have the most to

lose. O'Malley would not be asking if he was doing better in the polls.

[TM99]

87. Did O'Malley ask Clinton?

What was her response?

Or is he still carrying water for the Clinton campaign like an episode of House of Cards?

[Andy823]

93. So from all the comments from the Bernie gang

Bernie did not want to piss off the DNC, and some would question his being a "real" democrat status by holding more debates with out their consent, but it's was OK for him to file a "LAWSUIT" against the DNC because he didn't think that that would piss them off? He didn't think that by filing a lawsuit against the DNC that that also might make people question his being a real "democrat"? Hell I though Bernie was the one to "take on the establishment", to go against the rules from the "oligarchy".

Sometimes I can't believe the crap I hear.

[Romulox]

95. There's an exclusivity clause. Get informed first, THEN post. nt

[Andy823]

103. I am informed

And I know about the clause. My point is that if he was afraid to go against the DNC on the debate issue, then he sure as hell shouldn't have field a lawsuit. Do you think the DNC likes him more now because of that suit? Do you think those who might have had problems with him for not being a "real" democrat would change their mind now that he field that lawsuit?

If he and O'Malley would have stood up to the DNC on the debate thing, and they had others in the party that agreed with them on more debates, and if they had invited Hillary to other debates, Hillary would most likely have had to accept or look bad. If they stood together things might have changed, and we could have had more debates. The lawsuit makes him look worse than if he would have stood up with O'Malley for more debates. Someone on his staff is giving him bad advice.

[Romulox]

105. You're making O'Malley look like a VP-seeking Hillary hitman. nt

[Uponthegears]

100. I have no problem

with Hillary supporters who question whether Bernie is a "real" Democrat. Sad to say, that term doesn't mean what it did to folks like FDR and Bernie ran for Congress as an independent, so if you all thinks that scores points, have at it. However, when you try to parlay Bernie being unwilling to give DWS yet another way to get him off the stage at the same time he continues to confront her over the last time, into a display of dishonesty, you really are looking desperate. Blue 2016 BUT this isn't a coronation and you folks need to start talking issues instead of playing games.

[Andy823]

104. Here is some advice

If you look closely at my post, you will see that I am for O'Malley, not Hillary.

If Bernie is the man everyone says he is, the man who will buck the system, and stand up to the corporations and powers that be, then taking on the issue of more debates would have been a lot better for that image than say hitting the DNC with a lawsuit, don't you think?

[Uponthegears]

110. By standing up to the "powers that be"

Do you mean debating O'Malley without Hillary present? I have to tell you, that sounds a whole lot more like O'Malley only being willing to "stand up" to the guy who's already carrying the entire weight of stopping a coronation instead of joining Bernie and standing up against a process that increasingly appears integrated into Hillary's campaign.

Btw, this sentence applies no matter whose supporters are pushing this faux issue: "However, when you try to parlay Bernie being unwilling to give DWS yet another way to get him off the stage at the same time he continues to confront her over the last time, into a display of dishonesty, you really are looking desperate."

[Uponthegears]

98. Deja vu

I have to say this republishing of a clearly misleading comment even O"Malley is trying to put behind him, reminds me of a post from a long-term DU member just the other day accusing Bernie of not understanding the difference between secured and unsecured debt just because he had tweeted that there was something wrong when FEDERALLY GUARANTEED student loan interest rates were so much higher than mortgage interest rates. I'm 2016 Blue, regardless of the nominee, but I have to wonder how many of the millions of new voters who have been inspired by The Bern are going to show up for Hillary after certain alleged Hillary supporters have spent so much time treating them like they were stupid.

[1StrongBlackMan]

102. Regarding this Exclusivity Clause ...

As an O'Malley supporter, my one source of disappointment in his running (beyond his lacking numbers, which I don't think he has much control over, as no one is listening to him) is his agreeing to abide by the Exclusivity Clause, precluding unsanctioned debates, and then complaining about the number of sanctioned debates. It showed a rare instance of a lack of foresight.

What attorney would agree, or advise someone, to give up something without knowing they could live with what they were getting? In this case, no competent attorney would agree to, or advise a client to sign, an exclusivity/non-compete clause, without being satisfied with the number of sanctioned debates.

So I think, both, O'Malley and Bernie, are/were being disingenuous in their complaining about the number of events. In the best case, they thought they would be polling better; but, in the worst case ... neither, thought about it.

[Cha]

106. Understandable. Dean:..

"I don't think the books were cooked and if they were, they were cooked pretty badly because Hillary Clinton is a very good debater," Dean said of this cycle's debate schedule. "After each debate she gets a bump. If this was a strategy to help Hillary Clinton, I don't think it has."

[LuvLoogie]

107. The Reluctant Revolutionary

[Number23]

109. It's been one hell of an informative morning on DU so far.