O'Malley in Dubuque: Democrats need more debates.(Includes video.)
Presidential candidate says Democrats should not let the GOP dominate the national conversation.
Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley said the crowded field of Republican presidential candidates is dominating the national conversation -- and the Democratic Party is letting it happen.
O'Malley, the former governor of Maryland, said during a stop Monday in Dubuque he has been pushing the Democratic national leadership to add more debates for himself and fellow declared Democratic presidential candidates: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Lincoln Chafee, Jim Webb and Lawrence Lessig. The first debate is currently set for Oct. 13.
"I hear the drum beat for (the Republicans') second round of debates that will be promo-ed on CNN. All of their candidates becoming known, all of their ideas becoming known, and from our own party you're hearing nothing except questions about emails," O'Malley said.
O'Malley stopped at the Dubuque County Democratic Party's Annual Labor Day Picnic on Monday at Murphy Park to meet with about 50 attendees to talk about his campaign.
O'Malley said he has spent a considerable amount of time traveling Iowa since he announced his presidential campaign about 90 days ago, stopping in more than 35 of Iowa's 99 counties to meet with voters face-to-face and talk about his ideas and specific plans.
"People in Iowa ... expect candidates for president to be engaged in questions and answers and a search for a deeper truths that lead to the understanding that precedes action," O'Malley said.
http://www.thonline.com/news/tri-state/article_72f02c65-cb35-5c3c-81b5-3f3e2118e778.html