The real test for Hillary Clinton is the first debate of the primaries..

[eloydude]

If she can perform better than Bernie, then so be it.

But right now she is /still/ insulated and not meeting with people in public.

Bernie is already in NH, and will hit IA and MN next week and meet with people and let them get to know Bernie.

One person can be positive and spread like a virus about Bernie's issues.

And they vote.

Independents are the currently biggest voting bloc, and so far Bernie is gaining many, and will continue to gain.

[woolldog]

1. She should not even agree to

debate Bernie. Save your mojo for the GE, Hillary.

[Thinkingabout]

2. She has debated before, I have confidence, I don't think she is scared of Bernie or any other

candidate. You need to get Bernie prepared.

[Sancho]

3. "But right now she is /still/ insulated and not meeting with people in public.????

Hillary was in Iowa and NH. Spoke to a crowd in SC today. Traveling to Florida next week.

[zappaman]

9. Shhhh!

Poster is on a roll...

[NYC_SKP]

4. If she had any courage or scruples, she would call for more than six debates.

She is weak and frightened and in this for the power, not for doing good for the country, IMO>

[onehandle]

6. This vitriol you hold cannot be good for you.

Bernie would walk far away from you if you said these things in front of him.

Or call security.

[NYC_SKP]

8. Now now...Don't you worry about me, I'll be fine.

I'm a little worried about the folks who put so much hope into a sinking ship.

But just a little, they'll come around, they'll be alright.

[Agnosticsherbet]

14. Might want to bring this up with Debbie Wasserman-Schultz

and other members of the DNC.

They are the folk deciding on debates.

Candidates do not make that call.

Democrats approve six presidential primary debates
The Democratic National Committee said it will sanction six presidential primary debates starting this fall, including one event each in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

“We’ve always believed that we could have a competitive primary process, and that debates would be an important part of that process,” DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Tuesday. “Our debate schedule will not only give Democratic voters multiple opportunities to size up the candidates for the nomination side-by-side, but will give all Americans a chance to see a unified Democratic vision of economic opportunity and progress — no matter whom our nominee may be.”

Each of the four early presidential nominating states will host a sanctioned debate, plus there will be two more under the DNC plan. The sponsors will be a combination of state parties, local and national media, digital platforms and civic organizations.

The DNC, like its Republican counterpart, is seeking exclusivity from Democratic presidential candidates. If a candidate participates in a non-sanctioned debate, he or she would lose the ability to participate in those backed by the DNC.

[NYC_SKP]

16. I have, through my delegates. nt

[Agnosticsherbet]

18. Then you have petitioned the right person.

[Jim Lane]

20. Of course candidates make the call.

Candidates are free to participate in any debates they want to.

The Wasserman-Shultz scheme is to set up, for the first time, an Official Party Power Structure Approved Debate Schedule, which would provide cover for any candidate who wanted to stay out of other debates.

Undeniable facts:
* Per standard political wisdom, having more debates helps challengers, because it at least gives them a chance to break through, while front-runners prefer few or no debates.
* Hillary Clinton is currently the clear front-runner.
* Most of the Democratic Party leadership supports Clinton.
* The draft plan that's been circulated would cut debates from more than two dozen in 2008 to six.

I don't think this development is coincidence. Wasserman-Shultz and her cronies are trying to put a big fat thumb on the scales, on Clinton's side.

As for the candidates' role: If Clinton announces that she'll again accept a robust debate schedule -- perhaps recalling that in 2008 she criticized Obama for not debating more (when Obama had become the front-runner, fancy that) -- and that she won't confine herself to the mere half-dozen approved by the DNC, then that plan would die. Immediately.

So please don't try to tell us that Clinton is helpless and just reading about it in the newspaper.

[Agnosticsherbet]

22. Again, Clinton does not set the debate schedule, just as Obama did not set the Schedule in 2008.

[Jim Lane]

24. The whole point is that in 2008 there was no "the" Schedule

Various media outlets, NGOs, and other entities held debates and invited candidates. The DNC made no attempt to restrict any candidates from participating.

The proposal we're addressing is that in this cycle, for the first time, the DNC would designate a certain number (a small number) of debates as being officially sanctioned by the Party. Any candidate who participated in any other debate would be ineligible for the officially approved debates. Thus, those six debates would be "the" schedule.

As for Clinton's role, don't be naïve. If she told the DNC she didn't like the idea, the idea would die.

[Agnosticsherbet]

25. But in 2016, there is a schedule. If this were 2008, Obama wold be running for the first time.

and people would be screaming about the whole Clinton inevitability meme and claiming that Obama was a progressive who would bring hope and change to the US, end the War in Iraq and Afghanistan, and stop the Clinton/Wall Street machine.

The party leadership gets to decide how and when debates happen.

Candidate Clinton and Candidate Sanders do not make that decision.

I find the notion that Candidate Clinton is so powerful that the whole of the Democratic Party Establishment will role over and wag their tail for her to be disgusting.

[Jim Lane]

33. We can still hope that this effort to boost Clinton by stifling debate will fail.

You say that "in 2016, there is a schedule." I hope that this proposal to cut debates by more than 75% doesn't get implemented.

You write, "The party leadership gets to decide how and when debates happen." The party leadership has never before even tried to exercise such a power. This cycle would be the first time, and the obvious reason is that the party leadership wants to help Clinton. Clear evidence of that is that the proposal is not only the party leadership grab that power for the first time, but that it then exercise it in a way that would benefit Clinton vis-a-vis the other candidates.

You write, "I find the notion that Candidate Clinton is so powerful that the whole of the Democratic Party Establishment will role over and wag their tail for her to be disgusting." I don't see what's disgusting about taking a realistic look at who has clout where. It's disgusting that ISIS is beheading people but to report that disgusting fact is to state the truth. In Democratic Party politics, I'll assert that Howard Dean was replaced as DNC Chair because Obama decided that he wanted Tim Kaine instead. The DNC then duly voted in accordance with Obama's wishes. Do you find that assertion disgusting?

In the present case, Clinton could say one of these things:
* "I'm not going to be restricted in exposing my ideas to the crucible of public debates. In 2008, when we had more than two dozen debates, I criticized Barack Obama for not debating even more, and I expect to receive and accept a comparable number of debate invitations this time. If that means the DNC bars me from a handful of debates it sanctions, so be it, I'll still be in many more debates than the six they're talking about."
* "I think this proposal is a bad idea. The DNC shouldn't try to decide when and how debates happen. If it does try to exercise such a power, it shouldn't use it to truncate the debate schedule by more than 75%."

If she said either of these things, the proposal would die, with or without tail-wagging.

[NCTraveler]

30. "She is weak and frightened"

Women are use to this sexist shit. It only makes strong women like Clinton stronger. Comments like yours add greatly to her favorability. This level of hate drives support to her. It is blatantly unhinged CDS and Hillary thanks you.

[NYC_SKP]

32. Sexist accusation fail. Big time.

Don't you dare use her sex as a defense.

She's weak because she is motivated by ego, rather than by a compelling need to make the world a better place.

She is without a moral compass, lost and afraid.

I feel sorry for her.

[onehandle]

5. What bullshit. She's been meeting with voters for many weeks in several states.

It's been posted all over DU, not to mention in the news and on her Twitter feed.

Don't make shit up.

[eloydude]

7. The public... not private events...

$100,000 a plate fundraisers are not public events.

Just lettin' you know...

[onehandle]

10. I see. You're not oblivious. You're lying.

Goodbye.

[Sancho]

11. Watch this video from today....

then post your apology for being wrong.

http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/hillary-clinton-campaigning-president-south-caroli/nmPRB/#__federated=1

Otherwise, maybe you are some kind of instigator, troll, or purposefully bashing a Democratic candidate with falsehood.

[LordGlenconner]

15. They are definitely not public

They are however very useful. See, that's the money she's going to use to grind Bernie's campaign into dust. Enjoy the show.

[NYC_SKP]

17. And the public events are attended by actors, hand selected "regular folks".

It makes me sick.

[leftofcool]

12. The real test for Bernie is becoming a "real" Democrat

The he an talk about debating the other Democrats.

[eloydude]

21. He is a real Democrats

It's the other candidates that aren't.

[AtomicKitten]

13. There will be no ducking the tough questions in the debates.

Looking forward to it! I believe the first debate is scheduled for some time in August.

[KinMd]

19. After the debate

Bernie supporters will say he won, and Hillary supporters will say she won. And it won't move the needle much

[FSogol]

23. And us O'Malley supporters will say O'Malley won.

And we'll be right.

[BeyondGeography]

26. She's a very good debater

You're going to have to win it on the trail against her.

[still_one]

27. Actually it is the real test for any candidate, but it also isn't do or die

[fadedrose]

28. Bernie is gaining

according to Carol Costelo on the CNN program I have on now....

He's getting stronger as he travels -"Enough is Enough" is something he says often, and it should be his motto...

[Sheepshank]

29. this early in the game to complain that she isn't accessible enough is just dumb

...She is seasoned. She knows strategy and there are many many months to go. I doubt highly she is pulling a "Sharron Angle". She knows full well that would be a death knell.

Look, I like Bernie a lot, but I remember how many on the left eviscerated John McCain for his age. Bernie has a lot of cards stacked against him. His demeanor isn't Presidential, and vocalizing that he is a socialist is only adds to the difficulty. I just don't think he'll win the nomination. I am ever so grateful that he jumped into the race to bring very important issues to light and get certain conversations going. After the cruppling of Obama by both Houses, I realize how important it is to vote Dems into lower office...and holding on to thos is every bit as important as who is in the whitehouse. IMHO winning the Whitehouse almost seems like SCOTUS nominee picker, and Party braggng rights and little else.

[rock]

31. I strongly agree with your thesis

We need debates to distinguish these two excellent candidates!