Timothy A. Clary / AFP / Getty Images
MANCHESTER, Iowa — The campaigns of the two major candidates for the Democratic nomination have agreed to hold four more debates, should they be sanctioned, sources from both the Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders campaigns tell BuzzFeed News.
The details — where and when — remain unresolved, and the Democratic National Committee has not yet agreed to the arrangement, the Clinton and Sanders sources said.
“Once dates and cities are locked down, we are looking forward to four additional debates,” a person close to the Sanders campaign told BuzzFeed News. A source close to the Clinton campaign confirmed that account, saying that her staff has “agreed to everything [the Sanders campaign] asked for in their release and are now working on the details.”
Both sides, still in separate negotiations with DNC officials, have agreed to attend the “unsanctioned” Feb. 4 debate in New Hampshire hosted by the Union Leader and MSNBC, should that event go forward, in addition to three others, to be held at later dates.
The New Hampshire debate would take place just days before the primary there.
Martin O’Malley’s campaign has expressed willingness to debate any time, anywhere. MSNBC, meanwhile, is proceeding as though that debate will take place.
Two top aides for the Democratic National Committee did not respond to multiple requests for comment Saturday. The DNC “sanctions” all debates, and has been resistant in recent weeks to adding more officially sanctioned debates to the calendar.
Inside the Sanders campaign, aides are still concerned about the timing of any additional debates, insisting that those after the Feb. 4 face-off be as high-profile and positioned for a wide audience before the key nominating contests. Sanders aides have said they want the debates to happen before contests that will award a large percentage of total delegates.
As they await a decision from DNC officials, the Clinton and Sanders campaigns are proceeding as if there will be four more debates.
Source BuzzFeed - Politics http://ift.tt/1PLPuJe
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