Democrats narrow presidential debate rules days before deadline to qualify

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

Democrats narrow presidential debate rules days before deadline to qualify

By Michael Scherer June 6 at 7:28 PM

The Democratic Party announced Thursday that it would exclude specific polls from the qualification criteria for the first Democratic presidential debate in June, a change in the official rules that could exclude Montana Gov. Steve Bullock.

The requirements raise yet more controversy for a debate process that Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez once described as “open and transparent” but which has since fallen under intense criticism.

Lesser-known candidates have said the rules are distorting the race by heightening the importance of certain campaign tactics and benefiting certain candidates, with one campaign adviser even threatening to organize rival unsanctioned debates this fall if too many candidates are excluded from the official proceedings. Some party members have also complained about being shut out of the process, which has been overseen by Perez, to qualify for events that are expected to be the highest-profile campaign gatherings yet.

“This secret rule change affects only one candidate,” wrote Bullock campaign manager Jenn Ridder in a memo to reporters Thursday. “That means the DNC is singling out the only Democrat who won a Trump state, and potentially blocking him from the debate stage.”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/democrats-narrow-presidential-debate-rules-days-before-deadline-to-qualify/2019/06/06/a93aaa52-8874-11e9-a491-25df61c78dc4_story.html

[ancianita]

1. Not cool. Not fair. This should rightfully piss off this group of America's best political people.

[Cha]

2. I don't know why it's a "secret rule"? But,

I don't like that Gov Bullock might not be able to debate.

[pangaia]

3. Where have I seen this kind of behavior before?

Somewhere, I am sure...ummmmmm????

[BannonsLiver]

5. Where?

[BannonsLiver]

4. Smart move.

The usual DNC critics will take issue but this is a common sense approach. The reality is there aren’t 23 viable candidates, there are only a half dozen or so.

[JI7]

6. There was an article saying that DeBlasio qualified. So if he can qualify how is it possible for

anyone to not qualify ?

[crazytown]

7. Gov. Bullock did not announce until May 14, 2019