Sanders Won't Debate Thursday Unless Clinton Agrees To Future Debates - TheHill

[WillyT]

Sanders won't debate Thursday unless Clinton agrees to future debates
By Rebecca Savransky - TheHill
February 02, 2016, 04:54 pm

<snip>

Bernie Sanders' campaign says he won't participate in Thursday's planned Democratic presidential debate unless Hillary Clinton agrees to the Sanders campaign's conditions on future debates.

"We are continuing to negotiate with them not just about the debate Thursday night, but about the other debates that we have said need to be agreed to in order to put the whole package of debates together," Tad Devine, a top Sanders campaign official, told The Hill.

"They have not agreed to at least one aspect of it, which is we've asked for a debate in New York, and they do not want to have a debate in New York."

Clinton is urging Sanders to debate her in New Hampshire this week, saying the campaign has met the conditions.

“I sure hope — we’re in Bernie Sanders’ backyard here in New Hampshire — I sure hope he intends to show up in his neighboring state,” Clinton told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer on Tuesday. “Let the people of New Hampshire see us both on the debate stage.”

Devine told The Hill that Clinton's comments are a mischaracterization of Sanders' position.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and MSNBC came to a tentative agreement for the debate to be held at 9 p.m. on Thursday. It would be moderated by Chuck Todd and Rachel Maddow, Politico reported.

But the DNC has not yet officially sanctioned the debate, saying negotiations will continue Tuesday...

<snip>

Link: http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/dem-primaries/267942-sanders-wont-debate-thursday-unless-clinton-agrees-to-future

[yeoman6987]

1. Oh boy. This did not work for trump

Hillary at the debate by herself? It would be a night where she could discuss a lot of issues. I think she'd like that.

[Metric System]

3. I was going to say, this reminds me of Trump.

[HerbChestnut]

8. LOL the agreement was...

Bernie would debate in NH so long as Clinton agreed to 3 further debates. Apparently this arrangement has not yet been finalized. Trump ducked out because he didn't like the moderator. Just a bit of a difference don't you think?

[Uncle Joe]

31. I do, why is Hillary afraid to debate in New York?

[winter is coming]

30. I'm sure Clint Eastwood could lend her a chair. n/t

[mhatrw]

33. LOL. Clinton is now reduced to begging Sanders to debate her.

Clinton is a landline. Sanders is a smartphone.

Time for all the plutorats to jump Clinton's sinking ship. Maybe Rubio's will float?

[MrMickeysMom]

37. It has nothing to do with Trump

Trump simply didn't want to show. I can't even believe the Democratic issue oriented debate platform is being compared to the circus of Republican name calling sessions. Ain't that something?

When the Democratic Party plays games with crafting when needed a debate, rather than agreeing ON a series of debates, it continues to play a biased game. Either agree to a debate series, LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING, or just admit to having them strategic to an underperforming candidate, which should be apparent after Iowa.

Unfortunately, the cheering sections here don't see the intent of taking the opportunity to debate to suite an under-performing candidate. They just use Trump as needed.

May as well watch the Oscars or go to a football game. This is a series of when candidates talk about the issues, not an opportunity "when needed". Nice move, DWS cheerleaders!

[daleanime]

2. Still no DNC sanction?

Bernie better get any agreement in writing, in front of witnesses.

[book_worm]

4. It won't help Bernie if MSNBC holds the event and only Hillary shows up

but I believe in the end that they both will be there and should be a lively debate.

[DanTex]

5. Pulling a Trump? Lose Iowa. Skip debate. Hmm

[cyberswede]

10. My god. You're actually funny.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

6. Good for Bernie... I for one am sick and tired of Hillary dictating terms as if she's the supreme leader.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2016!!!

[MrMickeysMom]

38. That is for sure...

Prop up the anointed and cry when you can't. Squeak by on a coin toss when there was a 40 point lead, then laud it as a victory while getting more help from your friends at the DLC.

This is the TURD way!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

42. Seriously... I thought I had seen it all. Hillary knows no bounds when it comes to sheer gall.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2016!!!

[DefenseLawyer]

7. If Senator Sanders agrees to an unsanctioned debate

The minute he does DWS pretends to be furious at both campaigns and as punishment cancels ALL future debates. Hillary pretends to be outraged and then doesn't have to debate Sanders ever again. Pass on it unless it's sanctioned.

[Luminous Animal]

12. She only wanted 4 debates to begin with.

[cyberswede]

9. Why don't they want to debat in New York? Hillary was elected there, wasn't she?

New Yorkers should like her.

[Divernan]

11. Not most of the New Yorkers I know (upper west side).

[kath]

14. That's right. It's her home turf, so she should be well-loved there.

So why on earth would she have a problem with a debate there?

[Karma13612]

20. For many still living on her 'home turf'

they do NOT feel the love.

That type of assumption is dangerous.

She was not as well loved here in NY as some would like to think.

[kath]

22. Oh, I figured as much. was being a bit sarcastic.

There is usually a "home state advantage", so you'd figure she would like to debate there. BUT, considering what the policies of her and Bill have done to the poor and middle class, well...

[Karma13612]

35. +10

[libdem4life]

26. Do you think the carpet bagging had anything to do with it?

[Karma13612]

36. Lol,+10

[morningfog]

45. NY will bring huge media and ratings and viewers.

She knows the more people see her the less the like or trust her.

[MisterP]

23. heck, she backed Wall Street to piss off AQ after 9-11, or so I hear tell

[Oilwellian]

32. She represented Wall Street as a Senator

Let's include everything she said.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

43. It's called "Fear the Bern".

[stonecutter357]

13. I know he would backout.

[Joe the Revelator]

17. Did you also know that Hillary would move her goal posts....again

because that's exactly what it sounds like.

[earthside]

29. Bingo.

She's in trouble, so now she wants another debate before New Hampshire.

After she loses in New Hampshire, all of a sudden she will want another debate.

If she wins somewhere, she'll decide that no more debates are necessary.

There are only two major candidates now -- either one of them would be foolish not to have a new debate schedule and rules all laid out for the next two or three months.

Debates can't be an on-the-fly ploy just to suit Hillary's mercurial campaign needs.

Because this new enthusiasm for debating from Mrs. Clinton sure comes off as a 'moving the goal posts' and a slick tactic to me.

Can you say "Slick Hillary"?

Besides, with Hillary's nearly single digit poll ratings on honesty and integrity, Bernie holds the principled upper hand on this point.

[MrMickeysMom]

40. THIS Bingo^^^

K&R your post!

[DrDan]

15. understandable . . . Rachel can be brutal

[roguevalley]

24. bernie likes debates. he doesn't like duplicitous DWS. Who does.

[DrDan]

34. it's quite confusing - he wants more, he has a petition on his website asking for more,

he gets more . . . . then says he is not going to show

I hope this is not an indication of how he would govern as President

[MrMickeysMom]

41. It's only confusing to those who want to side step the real issue...

She had to have a lot of luck to claim victory in the first state, and now she needs more...

[speaktruthtopower]

16. Smart move...

..even if he draws criticism for it.

Her campaign is otherwise going to be very tempted to ignore him between South Carolina and Super Tuesday.

[WillyT]

18. Exactly !!!

[AzDar]

19. Exactly. Like the Sanders Campaign stated when asked for more debates: 'Not right to only have

debates when Sec. Clinton's campaign is in crisis'... (paraphrasing, of course)

[geek tragedy]

21. Ha! He's negotiating from a position of strength and they have no clue

how to respond.

[AtomicKitten]

25. Good!! The original debate schedule was bullshit & he's not going to let them push him around.

[INdemo]

27. Bernie just using a poker face...he will debate and they will sanction more..

At this point Hillary needs these more than Bernie here in NH.

Part of the agreement should also be a debate in South Carolina

[Bjornsdotter]

28. I'm good with Bernie's

...actions.

[riversedge]

39. umm. Is Bernie going to pull a Trump??

Tweet:
@HillaryforNH -->*berns the house down Leaving Iowa-First woman to win Caucus #Hillary2016 #p2

[brooklynite]

44. This morning on MSNBC, Bernie says he'll show up tomorrow.

[in_cog_ni_to]

46. She thinks she can set the agenda. Uh, no. Even though she likes to think it, she's NOT the Queen

of the United States of America. She can't dictate, goad, insist and nudge Bernie to do anything. She didn't want more debates until she was LOSING to the Socialist who could never be elected president. Now she thinks she can demand debates on a whim and get them. NOPE. NOT HAPPENING.

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE