2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumMSNBC, NH newspaper to hold unsanctioned Dem debate
The announcement comes as the DNC faces criticism for a meager debate schedule. The party has warned that any candidate who participates in an unsanctioned debate would be barred from future debates.
Paticipation by the party's top candidtes could threaten the DNC's hold on debates.
Martin O'Malley, who us running a distant third, is the only candiate so far to say he would be in the debate. But if Bernie Sanders agrees to participate, it would likely force Hillary Clinton to take part as well or risk being seen as reluctant to face her rivals face to face.
If the top two candidates do participate, that would increase the pressure on the DNC to back off its threat of sanctions.
The DNC has not said whether that prohibition will apply in this case.
The debate, to be moderated by "Meet the Press" host Chuck Todd and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, will be held on Feb. 4, five days before the New Hampshire primary. It stands to be the only debate between the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primaries--currently, the Jan. 19 debate was the last on the calendar until two days after the primary.
Trent Spiner, the Union-Leader's executive editor, told The Hill that he's been in contact with the DNC, but wouldn't speak for them as to whether that prohibition will apply.
"People are saying to me, 'We need another debate.' We feel like it's our job as a statewide newspaper to give the information that people need," he said.
"This isn't a fight about the schedule or anything like that. It's about giving the candidates a very good option--we have a lot of respect of Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow-- to travel to New Hampshire and be heard by millions of voters."
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/267072-report-nbc-nh-newspaper-to-hold-unsanctioned-dem-debate
winter is coming
(11,785 posts)Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)bkkyosemite
(5,792 posts)jeff47
(26,549 posts)bkkyosemite
(5,792 posts)winter is coming
(11,785 posts)My guess is that Camp Weathervane is somewhere behind this. HRC will likely agree to the NH debate, in hopes of closing the gap there. We already know O'Malley's in, so as long as either Sanders or Clinton agrees, there will be a debate.
If the debate goes well (and I expect she'll get a lot of softballs again) and she subsequently does better than expected in NH, the DNC will look the other way.
If things go poorly in NH, the DNC will exercise the exclusivity clause, effectively short-circuiting the fifth and sixth debates. Hillary's "loss" related to debate exposure is thus limited to right before NH, a state she'll shrug off as insignificant because it's small/rural/white/next to Vermont. She'll go into Super Tuesday running lots of ads and limiting herself to well-scripted events.
If HRC agrees to the debate, Sanders might as well do it, too. After all, if Clinton and O'Malley get sanctioned, the DNC won't be sponsoring a "debate" just for Bernie. If she doesn't agree to the debate, I'm not sure what Bernie will do.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)He'd be effectively shut out of future DNC debates from there on in and debates are his strong point.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)"People are saying to me, 'We need another debate.' We feel like it's our job as a statewide newspaper to give the information that people need," he said.
Unless they back off the threat of sanctions, I don't see how Bernie could possibly agree to participate. I know Bernie would prevail as he always does, so I doubt the DNC will allow this.
pangaia
(24,324 posts)Uh... yup...
http://www.unionleader.com/Union-Leader-to-host-Democratic-debate-Feb-4