Sanders: Democratic debate format is 'demeaning'

[left-of-center2012]

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is frustrated by the Democratic presidential primary debates, saying that the spectacle of 20 candidates agitating for time plays to their worst instincts and is “demeaning” to the field of contenders.

Speaking on the "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, Sanders said “you shouldn’t even call them a debate.”

“What they are is a reality tv show in which you have to come up with a soundbite and all that stuff,” he said. “It’s demeaning to the candidates and it’s demeaning to the American people. You can’t explain the complexity of health care in America in 45 seconds, nobody can.”

The Vermont senator acknowledged that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) “is in a difficult position” trying to accommodate the two dozen candidates running for the party’s nomination. But he said the current format encourages the candidates to stand out with outrageous soundbites in an effort to earn media attention.

“What it encourages people to do is come up with soundbites and do absurd things,” Sanders said. “If I yell and scream on this show and took my clothes off, it would get a lot of publicity, right? If you give a thoughtful answer to a complicated question, it’s not so sexy for the media.”

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/456511-sanders-democratic-debate-format-is-demeaning

[murielm99]

1. Then he should stay home in protest.

[Kahuna7]

21. LOL! nt

[still_one]

26. ++++++++++++++++++++++++

[NurseJackie]

37. Agreed!

[George II]

2. Why doesn't he offer an alternative format instead of just criticizing?

[left-of-center2012]

3. "If I yell and scream on this show and took my clothes off"

[crazytown]

8. There goes dinner

there goes the audience

[bluewater]

4. The qualifying criteria for the September debate is just too low

After the first two "cattle call debates", the DNC should have had stricter qualifications for the September debate.

2% in the polls is just too low a bar, it should be double that or even 5% since the candidates have multiple opportunities to meet the polling criteria.

You just can't have a worthwhile debate with 8-10 people on the stage at a time and we need to see ALL the leading candidates on stage facing off at the same time.

[customerserviceguy]

29. If there are ten to twelve candidates

for the September debates, then perhaps the two-night format should be retained. Once it gets to a 5% threshold, that's going to weed that number down to about five or six. That should happen by October, certainly November, which is fast enough for me.

[drray23]

30. only problem is that they announced that the threshold will be the same for october

so, we might get 7-8 candidates in september and back to more than that in october. its kinda stupid. They have to raise that to 5% for october

[customerserviceguy]

32. If the debates

are effective, some will rise, and others will fall, even if October's formula is the same as September's. Then, we get down to a manageable number in November, when people will probably get down to paying attention to the election somewhat more.

It is an attempt to be fair, to give the lower-tier candidates a fair shot at getting their message out.

[SouthernProgressive]

5. Then drop out to give the other candidates a better opportunity in the debates.

“If I yell and scream on this show and took my clothes off"

So the only difference from his normal status would be the removal of clothes?

[mtnsnake]

7. I agree with Sanders on this.

He is right. It is a demeaning setup. The way it's set up is something that would be more in tune for a bunch of high school students, not presidential candidates.

[Lucid Dreamer]

10. Actually, high school debates have a much more sophisticated setup.

These TV primary debate formats are garbage.

[cynatnite]

18. High school debates don't have 20 people vying for attention at the same time. n/t

[highplainsdem]

9. I agree. But please, Bernie, keep your clothes on!

[Mosby]

11. He's right.

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread left of center.

[demmiblue]

13. I agree. n/t

[Green Line]

14. I agree with him

[Pacifist Patriot]

15. I honestly can't figure out why they are even having these so early.

Or why they call them "debates." It's ridiculous.

[questionseverything]

35. we need debates early and often to catch the attention of the American people

letting the repubs debate for 2 months before we started in 2015 was a HUGE mistake

[obnoxiousdrunk]

16. Bernie is right ...

[Maven]

17. Not a Bernie fan but he's right about this.

Picking CNN to host the debates was a major mistake by the DNC.

[TomCADem]

19. Shoot. He might as well yell get off my lawn!

Bernie is a Democrat for just a few weeks and he wants to start kicking life long Dems off the stage?

[GeorgeGist]

20. I agree with Bernie that the format is demeaning.

The candidates could easily refuse to play along.

[Skya Rhen]

22. "What it encourages people to do is come up with soundbites and do absurd things," Sanders said. Who

exactly is he referring to? I wonder...

[jalan48]

23. Reality show politics brought to you in part by big pharma. Watch your time limit!

[JudyM]

24. If we changed away from this it'd hurt trump far more. The current format plays into his hands.

If they were up there with the ability to explain their solutions to problems for a few minutes we could see their thoughtfulness and get into some conceptual depth... unlike this reality show that’s superficial enough for trump to comment on/ridicule.

[corbettkroehler]

25. Lincoln-Douglas, It Ain't

True, the DNC is in a difficult position but the current format was a mistake. The stage should have been reduced to 5 candidates during 4 nights spread over 2 weeks.

[elleng]

27. True

[SamKnause]

28. I agree Bernie.

[TexasTowelie]

31. Once upon a time...

[Me.]

33. I Think You Put That In All Caps

[emmaverybo]

34. Agree. Does encourage the worst. Also, moderators should stop the "show of hands" inanity.

[betsuni]

36. First there were too few candidates. Now there are too many. Too few debates, too many.

Too this, not enough that. When will the porridge be just right?

[NurseJackie]

38. Aw.

[melman]

39. He's right of course

Anyone can see the debates are totally broken.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

40. Yeah, but Bernie said it so....