People Want to Hear What Bernie Sanders Has to Say. The DNC Doesn't.

[n2doc]

The party's insistence on six debates isn't helping anyone—except Hillary Clinton.

BY CHARLES P. PIERCE

Remember that scene at the end of The Perfect Storm, when Mark Wahlberg bobs to the surface of a truly mountainous sea, and the camera pans away until he's almost invisible among massive waves? That was what I thought of when the mysteriously still-employed Debbie Wasserman Schultz got up on the stage at the New Hampshire Democratic State Convention and found herself deluged with chants of "More debates!" She came dangerously close to losing the hall entirely.

A couple of times, DWS tried to make the case that "we" should not be fighting amongst "ourselves" and that "we" should concentrate instead on keeping one of the increasingly loopy Republican candidates away from the nuclear codes. Fair enough, but an inadequate response to a legitimate concern that DWS is using every ounce of her barely distinguishable leadership of the Democratic National Committee to monkey with the nominating process to the advantage of her favorite candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton. It is not so much the limited number of debates that got up people's nose. It's that the DNC, led by its chairperson, actually threatened to sanction anyone who wanted to stage a debate, or a "candidate forum," outside of the formal party structure.

"While a six sanctioned debate schedule is consistent with the precedent set by the DNC during the 2004 and 2008 cycles, this year the DNC will further manage the process by implementing an exclusivity requirement," the statement announcing the debates explained. "Any candidate or debate sponsor wishing to participate in DNC debates, must agree to participate exclusively in the DNC-sanctioned process. Any violation would result in forfeiture of the ability to participate in the remainder of the debate process."

This is, quite simply, a crock. If a couple of candidates want to get up on a stage and knock around each other's ideas on Iran, say, or the carried-interest deduction, you're going to blackball them from the formal process? Who the fck are you when you're at home anyway? And this truncated process already is in play in New Hampshire.

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http://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/news/a38099/dnc-primary-silence-bernie-sanders/

[jeff47]

1. Kick (nt)

[Vincardog]

2. .

[rhett o rick]

3. The Oligarchy and their puppets are terrified of Sen Sanders and the Populist Movement.

Clinton has nowhere to turn.

[stillwaiting]

4. We need to start saying 4 debates. Because we only have 4 scheduled.

HRC is clearly hoping to have this wrapped up after Super Tuesday. If she's successful, a 5th and 6th debate will not be needed.

The 5th and 6th have not been given a scheduled date yet for painfully obvious reasons.

It might only be FOUR debates (scheduled at ridiculous times to try and keep viewership down NO DOUBT).

[merrily]

5. I owe Pierce an apology. He is not giving DLC?DNC on this story!

[navarth]

6. kick!

[Duval]

7. K&R eom

[Iwillnevergiveup]

8. I couldn't watch her

Did she mention Bernie even once?

[WillyT]

9. K & R !!!

[eridani]

11. It isn't going to help Clinton either. Failure to assert the Democratic Party brand--

--will harm ANY Dem who is the nominee.

[Enthusiast]

12. K&R! This post should have hundreds of recommendations!