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2016 Postmortem
Showing Original Post only (View all)Democratic Party Hopes No One Watches Democratic Debates [View all]
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/miles-mogulescu/democratic-party-hopes-no_b_8560342.html
In a misguided attempt to protect Hillary Clinton's coronation as the Democratic nominee, the Democratic National Committee is doing its best to insure that as few people as possible watch the Democrat's own Presidential debates, even as tens of millions tune in to the Republican debates.
In doing so, the DNC and the Clinton campaign are demobilizing its own base, telegraphing that they don't think Hillary can stand up to sustained scrutiny, and increasing the likelihood that an energized Republican Party will take back the White House.
First the DNC limited debates to 6, compared to 26 in the 2008 campaign that nominated Barack Obama, and 12 Republican debates this campaign season. Next, it passed a rule that any candidate who showed up for a debate that the DNC didn't sanction would be banned from appearing in any officially-sanctioned Democratic debate. (That's the why the candidates couldn't address each other on Rachel Maddow's candidate forum, which, lacking the drama of a direct confrontation, was viewed by only 2.3 million people and only 417,000 in the key 25-54 year old demographic. Compare that to the 13-24 million people who've watched the various Republican debates.) In all, over 60 million people have watched Republican debates and only 15 million have watched Democratic debates.
Now the DNC has scheduled the Iowa debate for this Saturday night, the night of the week the least people are home watching TV, especially among younger 18-35 year old voters who are a key constituency for Democrats to mobilize if they want to win. WTF?
(snip)
There's no rational explanation except that the DNC wants as few people as possible to tune in to the Democratic debates, despite the fact that Presidential debates are one the best ways to get a party's message out to large numbers of voters at once
(snip)
It's a loser's strategy. It goes along with the Democrats' abandonment of the 50-state strategy initiated by Howard Dean
Debbie-poo, YOU'RE FIRED!
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If you do not like the Party and your gracious hosts rules, why did you come into the house at all?
Fred Sanders
Nov 2015
#1
We had to read to the bottom to find out that MAYBE this was a published editorial?????
Buzz Clik
Nov 2015
#2
Which head of a National Committee that operates fairly doesn't want hours of free air time
merrily
Nov 2015
#49
The only way this would be a slam against you...would be if you were part of the DNC.
Bubzer
Nov 2015
#31
Low viewership of the debates actually inures to the Vermont independent's benefit.
DemocratSinceBirth
Nov 2015
#6
Put down the crystal ball and back away slowly... This is bigger than hillary vs Bernie.
Bubzer
Nov 2015
#39
It is not only DWS. Barney Frank, Jerry Brown and almost every Democrat in office
merrily
Nov 2015
#42
They know their best chance for a coronation is to keep the voters uninformed. Like a sleazy legal
GoneFishin
Nov 2015
#8
IS that the new bumper sticker? "Vote for Bernie - unless you're too stupid?"
brooklynite
Nov 2015
#10
More like "Bernie wants you to hear his ideas. Hillary wants to keep you in the dark."
GoneFishin
Nov 2015
#13
It is being televised on a major broadcast network in prime time. What else do you want?
George II
Nov 2015
#15
Maybe instead of more Debates, Sanders needs more time for retail campaigning?
brooklynite
Nov 2015
#55
And, in Iowa, the debate has to compete with the 5th ranked U of Iowa football game!
Gmak
Nov 2015
#27
"they don't think Hillary can stand up to sustained scrutiny" what a pant load!
upaloopa
Nov 2015
#34