# DNC agrees to added debates **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 1, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870 "2016-02-01T19:10:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/1 "2016-02-01T19:10:47Z")
As you may know, there has been some not-too-implausible conspiracy-theorizing to the effect that the Democratic National Committee and Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz have deliberately limited the number of primary-season presidential debates to six – and scheduled some of them on Saturday nights, when viewership presumably will be lowest – in order to prevent Sanders (and O’Malley) from getting too much exposure. Be that as it may, [they now have agreed to more debates.](http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/01/31/more-democratic-debates-in-the-works/?_r=0) > [@](#): > > The Democratic National Committee said on Sunday that it would meet with the campaigns on Tuesday to further discuss details of additional debates before announcing an official schedule. A debate on Thursday, ahead of the New Hampshire primary on Feb. 9, is expected to be sanctioned and sponsored by MSNBC, and the campaigns have been in talks about holding additional debates in March, April and May. > > The previously scheduled debates on Feb. 11 and March 9 will go on as planned. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/2 "2016-02-01T19:22:38Z")
Once Bernie loses tonight, hopefully his delusional supporters will shut up about the debate conspiracy theories. There won’t be any need for debates in March, much less April or May. Bernie will be well out of the race by then and hopefully won’t hang around like an annoying gadfly such as Jerry Brown, Dennis Kucinch, or Al Sharpton. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/3 "2016-02-01T19:43:46Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Once Bernie loses tonight, hopefully his delusional supporters will shut up about the debate conspiracy theories. There won’t be any need for debates in March, much less April or May. Bernie will be well out of the race by then and hopefully won’t hang around like an annoying gadfly such as Jerry Brown, Dennis Kucinch, or Al Sharpton. If you think Bernie’s campaign is similar in scope and viability to those three, then I think you have a pretty low level of comprehension of what is actually going on in the primary race right now. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/4 "2016-02-01T20:07:06Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > DNC agrees to added debates > > As you may know, there has been some not-too-implausible conspiracy-theorizing to the effect that the Democratic National Committee and Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz have deliberately limited the number of primary-season presidential debates to six – and scheduled some of them on Saturday nights, when viewership presumably will be lowest – in order to prevent Sanders (and O’Malley) from getting too much exposure. > > Be that as it may, [they now have agreed to more debates.](http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/01/31/more-democratic-debates-in-the-works/?_r=0) AIUI, Hillary wanted another debate. Bernie replied that he wanted three or four more debates and that they had to be held at a time when more people were available to watch. Now the DNC is finally getting involved and more Democrat debates will actually take place. I guess the candidates are following Trump’s lead and telling the party, and the media outlets, where, when, and how they want the debates handled. Good for them. If these candidates want to lead the country, they best start by standing up to the all-important-news-creating media and the political cronies running the party. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/5 "2016-02-02T17:38:32Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Once Bernie loses tonight . . . Looks like you might have to wait a while. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/6 "2016-02-02T17:39:35Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > If these candidates want to lead the country, they best start by standing up to the all-important-news-creating media . . . Now, why on Earth would it be important for them to do **that?!** ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/7 "2016-02-02T20:09:38Z")
That’s interesting. I wonder what brought this on. I wonder if Hillary was afraid that she was going to lose in Iowa. If she was truly confidant, there’d be no point in her doing more debates with a defeated rival. But she might have worried that she would need a chance to change the conversation. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/8 "2016-02-02T20:16:41Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > AIUI, Hillary wanted another debate. Bernie replied that he wanted three or four more debates and that they had to be held at a time when more people were available to watch. Now the DNC is finally getting involved and more Democrat debates will actually take place. > > I guess the candidates are following Trump’s lead and telling the party, and the media outlets, where, when, and how they want the debates handled. Good for them. If these candidates want to lead the country, they best start by standing up to the all-important-news-creating media and the political cronies running the party. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Now, why on Earth would it be important for them to do **that?!** I assume you can think of several incidents of where a news outlet incorrectly reported the facts, or spun a story to hurt or help a candidate. In Bernie’s case, his party decided that the debates should be held on days when fewer people would be watching. The claim is that debating before fewer viewer could possibly help Hillary and hurt Bernie. Bernie demanded that the added debates be held on days when there could be more viewers. Bernie’s choice. The news outlets should not be creating the news when they decide which candidate gets more air time or which candidate quotes are taken out of context. The media outlets should be “reporting” the news, not “filtering” it to help their particular choice of candidate. Trump demanded, and received, concession from media outlets. Bernie is now demanding concession from the Democrat party and media outlets. Trump proved it’s possible. Bernie is taking advantage of the new status quo. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/9 "2016-02-02T20:23:33Z")
More debates means more chance to highlight Democratic ideas, instead of letting the Republicans have the media to themselves while they bash Hillary and Obama. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/10 "2016-02-02T21:27:07Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > More debates means more chance to highlight Democratic ideas, instead of letting the Republicans have the media to themselves while they bash Hillary and Obama. Obviously to you, obviously to me, no doubt equally obviously to Wasserman-Schultz. Hence the conspiracy-theorizing. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/11 "2016-02-02T21:44:33Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > More debates means more chance to highlight Democratic ideas, instead of letting the Republicans have the media to themselves while they bash Hillary and Obama. More debates is a good idea. Especially if they’re held during time slots that could draw more viewers. It’s nice that the DNC was forced into accepting that fact for added debates. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2016, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/12 "2016-02-02T21:53:35Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > More debates is a good idea. Especially if they’re held during time slots that could draw more viewers. It’s nice that the DNC was forced into accepting that fact for added debates. We’re on the same page, DWS got caught with her thumb on the scale, though she’s never admit it. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/13 "2016-02-03T15:57:34Z")
Bernie showing himself to be a pathetic weasel over the scheduling of future debates. Sanders will only agree to this Thursday’s debate if ‘certain conditions’ are met. Supposedly one of those conditions is that Sanders wants a debate in New York City. Since Bernie is a one trick pony, he’s obviously wants a NYC debate so he can do his usual whining about Wall Street and big banks, along with the attempt to link Hillary to Wall Street. Hillary should take a page out of Bill’s 1992 campaign when George H.W. Bush tried to put conditions on debates: Have a supporter show up to Bernie’s rallies dressed as a chicken and taunt Bernie. > **[Sanders won’t debate Thursday unless Clinton agrees to future debates](https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/dem-primaries/267942-sanders-wont-debate-thursday-unless-clinton-agrees-to-future/)** > > “We’ve asked for a debate in New York, and they do not want to have a debate in New York.” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/14 "2016-02-03T17:20:10Z")
What’s unreasonable about wanting one of the debates to be in the biggest city in the country? And why can’t Sanders whine about Wall Street in other cities, like he’s been doing for his entire career? ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/15 "2016-02-03T17:28:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > What’s unreasonable about wanting one of the debates to be in the biggest city in the country? And why can’t Sanders whine about Wall Street in other cities, like he’s been doing for his entire career? The New York Primary isn’t until April 19, New Jersey is June 7, and Connecticut is April 26. I highly doubt Sanders will still have a viable campaign by the middle of April. The debates so far have been held in states which have early primaries and caucuses, with the exception of the first Republican one in the mother of all swing states, Ohio. It would be funny to see Clinton point out that the United Nations is also located in NYC and perhaps Bernie should pay a visit since he’s so clueless about foreign policy. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/16 "2016-02-03T17:43:51Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Once Bernie loses tonight, hopefully his delusional supporters will shut up about the debate conspiracy theories. There won’t be any need for debates in March, much less April or May. Bernie will be well out of the race by then and hopefully won’t hang around like an annoying gadfly such as Jerry Brown, Dennis Kucinch, or Al Sharpton. > [@dalej42](#): > > I highly doubt Sanders will still have a viable campaign by the middle of April. May all your predictions be as accurate! ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/17 "2016-02-03T17:53:52Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > May all your predictions be as accurate! My prediction was correct, Bernie did LOSE the Iowa caucuses. No matter what conspiracy theories his supporters post about coin flips, Microsoft, or just sour grapes in general. Hillary won, Bernie lost, and it will be a downward spiral for Bernie after New Hampshire. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/18 "2016-02-03T17:56:52Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > My prediction was correct, Bernie did LOSE the Iowa caucuses. He walked away with one less delegate than Hillary did. By any reasonable standard, that’s a tie. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/19 "2016-02-03T18:13:47Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > My prediction was correct, Bernie did LOSE the Iowa caucuses. No matter what conspiracy theories his supporters post about coin flips, Microsoft, or just sour grapes in general. Hillary won, Bernie lost, and it will be a downward spiral for Bernie after New Hampshire. Come on, be honest about your position at least. Your implication was that Bernie is a nothing candidate who would suffer a crushing blow in Iowa and withdraw. Canidates you compared him to upthread were Kucinich (1% of delegates in Iowa) Al Sharpton (0%), and Jerry Brown (round up to 2%). Sanders won 49.6% of the delegates. It is unreasonable to compare his position in this race to those canidates. “There won’t be any need for debates in March” my butt. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2016, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870/20 "2016-02-03T18:24:21Z")
> [@Eonwe](#): > > Come on, be honest about your position at least. Your implication was that Bernie is a nothing candidate who would suffer a crushing blow in Iowa and withdraw. > > Canidates you compared him to upthread were Kucinich (1% of delegates in Iowa) Al Sharpton (0%), and Jerry Brown (round up to 2%). Sanders won 49.6% of the delegates. > > It is unreasonable to compare his position in this race to those canidates. “There won’t be any need for debates in March” my butt. Actually, my original prediction for Iowa was that the results would be similar to the last Des Moines Register poll and that Hillary would win by a couple of points. I would have loved to see a Hillary landslide, but that wasn’t realistic to expect. Sanders will be competitive in New Hampshire, which is very white and also next door to Vermont. However, the rest of February is being fought on much less friendly ground for Sanders. A couple of landslide wins for Hillary in South Carolina and Nevada followed by Super Tuesday will end Sanders as a viable candidate. His die hard supporters will continue to whine about media coverage and play the poor little me card.But, the shiny penny won’t be new and he will lose much of his support. So, I don’t think there will be a need for March debates. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dnc-agrees-to-added-debates/744870.md?page=2)