Martin O'Malley blasts DNC over 'huge mistake' on debates.

[elleng]

Former Maryland Gov. and Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley blasted his party’s national committee for a limited debate schedule that will include only one debate in New Hampshire before the primary.

“We are making a huge mistake,” O’Malley said on Herald Radio’s “Morning Meeting” show. “If we tell the people of New Hampshire we have become such an impoverished party that we can only afford one debate before the New Hampshire primary, what the hell kind of Democratic party is this?”

The DNC sanctioned six primary debates. The first will take place Oct. 13 in Nevada and the lone Granite State debate is set for Dec. 19 in Manchester. The Republicans have a dozen debates scheduled, including one in New Hampshire in February. Their first debate took place last Thursday in Ohio and drew 24 million viewers on television and the GOP has two more contests scheduled before the first Democratic debate on the docket.

“I think having more debates would force the candidates to take positions in issues,” O’Malley said, noting that front-runner Hillary Clinton has not taken a firm stance on Wall Street reform. “This is how you evaluate candidates and see how they think on their feet, interact with each other, and answer the tough questions.” . .

“Debates are a time-honored way in which citizens are able to see candidates on state in a competitive and sometimes pressing and adversarial relationship with one another,” he said. “I think we can all agree the people of New Hampshire deserve more than one debate.”

https://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/local_coverage/herald_bulldog/2015/08/martin_omalley_blasts_dnc_over_huge_mistake_on