Dems set six debates for Hillary, rivals
The Democratic National Committee on Thursday announced a schedule for six primary season debates. Hillary Clinton's challengers, naturally, want more.
CLEVELAND - Democrats will hold their first presidential debate Oct.13 in Nevada, the party's national chairwoman, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, announced on Thursday hours before the Republicans will clash on stage here.
They will conduct a total of six debates, about one for every month from then through the early stages of the nomination contest. All four of the early voting states – Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada – will host one.
After the opener (the party did not specify whether it would be in Las Vegas or Reno), the next debate will be Nov. 19 in Des Moines, Iowa. On deck: Dec. 19 in Manchester, N.H., and Jan. 17 in Charleston, S.C.
Other debates will be in February or March – one with Univision, in Miami; and one in Wisconsin.
The October meeting will be the first contested primary debate in the Democratic Party since 2008, when Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and several other contenders debated. In one of those events, Obama made the now-famous comment: "You're likable enough, Hillary."
"We are thrilled to announce the schedule and locations for our Democratic primary debates," e Wasserman Schultz said. "These six debates will…give caucus goers and primary voters ample opportunity to hear from our candidates about their vision for our country's future."
Clinton, the favorite, faces challenges for the nomination from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chaffee.
She leads overwhelmingly in early polling, but her favorability ratings have tumbled and majorities of voters in several surveys indicate that they do not consider the former secretary of state, First Lady and U.S. senator honest or trustworthy.
O'Malley in particular has pushed for many more debates, and his campaign was quick to react.
"By inserting themselves into the debate process, the DNC has ironically made it less democratic. "The schedule they have proposed does not give voters—nationally, and especially in early states—ample opportunity to hear from the Democratic candidates," senior strategist Bill Hyers said in a statement. "If anything, it seems geared toward limiting debate and facilitating a coronation, not promoting a robust debate and primary process."
Instead of rigging things, the DNC should step aside and "let individual and truly independent news, political, and community organizations create their own debates and allow the Democratic candidates for president to participate," Hyers said.