2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumO’Malley: Dems tilting race toward Hillary Clinton. The Hill
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley in an exclusive interview Wednesday with The Hill accused party insiders of trying to tilt the primary contest in Hillary Clinton's favor.
OMalley lit into the Democratic Party for seeking to limit the number of presidential debates, which he said would help Clinton glide to the nomination.
OMalley said he raised the issue with the chairwoman of the Democratic Party, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), during last weeks National Urban League conference in Fort Lauderdale.
There's an effort by a few insiders to try to limit the number of debates that we have and I've shared with the chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz that I think thats a grave mistake and I think it's undemocratic, O'Malley told The Hill in between in-between campaign stops in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines.
It's all about trying to pre-ordain the outcome, circle the wagons and close off debate, O'Malley said. If they could actually accelerate the date of the Iowa caucuses and hold them tomorrow they'd like to do that. Then there'd be no campaign at all. That's what they'd really like.
Asked if the party insiders included the Clintons, O'Malley said: Of course they are. President and Secretary Clinton are the most colossal, prolific fundraising couple in the history of representative democracies.
An aide then reminded O'Malley that he was on the record.
I know, O'Malley answered, before continuing. So yes lots of people have long histories with the Clintons.
OMalley said he told Wasserman Schultz of his concerns.
I told her that I didn't feel that the party was listening to our concerns and I told her that limiting the number of debates before the first contest would be a grave mistake, he said. The people have a right to hear what the candidates stand for. We need to have a debate.
DNC spokeswoman Holly Shulman said in a statement that DNC officials are thrilled to hear that Governor OMalley is eager to participate in our debates. . . .
His comments on Wednesday also reflected his belief that the debates with Clinton, Sanders and other candidates could help his campaign.
This isn't about the Clintons or the O'Malleys this is about our country, said OMalley, who noted that he backed Clinton for president in 2008.
And to limit the number of debates in the Democratic Party in a year as important as this? To tell Iowa that they can only have one? Or to tell New Hampshire they can only have one? I don't know where these people it's the arrogance and the elitism that's creeped into so many aspects of our national party.
He said that such leadership in Washington has people very angry and very fed up and wondering if anybody's still on their side.
Of all the years we should be having a debate this is the year they want to exercise their control and try to make the presidential debate some sort of exclusive where we're only aloud to have a handful of them. We had already had six of them, I think by this time last time around.
During a campaign stop later Wednesday afternoon, O'Malley was more measured in his criticism against party leaders regarding the debates and Clinton, saying that he has a great deal of respect and admiration for the former secretary of State.
O'Malley also ripped Clinton, the front-runner for her partys nomination, for not taking clear positions on the issues and suggested that could cost her.
Her positions and her lack of positions are becoming very apparent to more and more people across Iowa and New Hampshire, O'Malley said. People will not long tolerate any candidate who tries to duck or avoid debates or fails to take a position. I know that, for my part, I'm not going to duck.
http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/250372-omalley-dems-tilting-race-toward-hillary-clinton
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)You wait and see.
elleng
(131,107 posts)daybranch
(1,309 posts)I say if O'Malley wins the confidence and support of the people after engaging in what Will be in my opinion, explosive debates,and if the issues Sanders and Hillary disagree about are discussed. I will work hard for O'Malley. Clinton, not so much.
You know we spend a lot of time here talking about which candidate will be better for America, as if all democratic candidates would take our country in a positive direction. I think we should ask which candidate would most likely hurt America.s people and why?
In 2008. I had been a Hillary supporter until I realized that Obama was as a centrist , still to the left of Hillary Clinton. I have supported Obama as the best of the candidates offered and tried like other progressives to move him from the center to the left. In many cases I have been delighted and in others I have been disappointed. Obama is not a progressive but he was selected as the choice of progressives because we felt we could push him somewhat to the left. I think we did that'
Today we progressives are again at the same place with Bernie Sanders and O'Malley both to the left of Hillary. We made our choice and supported Obama vigorously in 2008. Now she claims to be a progressive and we deny this knowing she was to the right of a centrist Obama before and if anything appears farther to the right again.
We see her trying to steal the progressive name by trying to remove progressive economic reform from the definition of what we stand form. Yes we know she favors equality of the genders, the LGBTQ community, the races, ethnic groups etc. in their democratic participation, but you can have all this equality and still hurt our people as you serve a very rich class, of Wall Street, Banks, the Health Industry , and Billionaires. When Hillary pushes one of her band aides to prevent class conflict between we the 98 percent and the 2 percent, she labels this progressive and to some degree they are. But our definition of progressive has values that we do not believe she supports, values not embraced by her donor class. Obamas, both husband and wife in campaign speeches appeal to this need for economic justice, Hillary rants against economic injustice but offers nothing that would in any way threaten the continued and harmful dominance of her donor class's control of the oligarchy. We progressives, do not and will not ever consider Hillary Clinton a progressive. It insults our beliefs and values to do so. Her belief in equality is good as far as it goes, but we already know how harmful her greedy donor class has been to the economic security of the rest of us. If she wants to help progressives, she should withdraw from the race. Until that time, she besmirches our name, more effectively than Faux News.
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)Confiding in his office ficus would be about as productive, I think.
artislife
(9,497 posts)how smart he is.
I don't know where these people it's the arrogance and the elitism that's creeped into so many aspects of our national party
Her positions and her lack of positions are becoming very apparent to more and more people across Iowa and New Hampshire, O'Malley said. People will not long tolerate any candidate who tries to duck or avoid debates or fails to take a position. I know that, for my part, I'm not going to duck.
elleng
(131,107 posts)and the gloves are OFF!!!
artislife
(9,497 posts)elleng
(131,107 posts)artislife
(9,497 posts)99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)on national TV. We all know how the M$M loves to cover what's really
going on behind the curtain, don't we? Oh wait ...
But seriously, I do think it would get enough airtime to stir the pot enough to
get Wasserman to schedule the fucking debates, in a much more fair way than
she's now doing.
I'm grateful to O'Malley for going public on this, and calling DW out on it.
Well Done Martin O'Malley! You are not my candidate at this time, but hats off
to you for doing this before it further cripples democracy within the party that
carries it's name and it's mantel.
elleng
(131,107 posts)and likely to get them both more air time.
artislife
(9,497 posts)Is if O'Malley and Bernie could have a round table and talk about where they would like to see the country headed. Not even a debate since there are probably a ton of rules, but a discussion with a sane moderator like a Charlie Rose type.
Something civil about there stances and how and why they are the same and different.
elleng
(131,107 posts)Thought I was the only person watching him!!!
artislife
(9,497 posts)We watched together.
I just like how he simply asked questions and let people answer.
I know, we are kinda nuts!
elleng
(131,107 posts)neither are WE!
artislife
(9,497 posts)I really hope O'Malley does. We need to go fearlessly into the future. NOW.
Yeah, art is what saves me. I get back home after a month away working on the 11th. I have my paints and brushes and lots of emotions to espress!
I've left my home at the river for a long weekend in NJ with family (daughter + little grandson,) so when I return I'll get back to MY art, which is like this:
YOU I applaud!
99th_Monkey
(19,326 posts)Last edited Thu Aug 6, 2015, 01:52 AM - Edit history (1)
If Wasserman keeps sitting on her hands with the debates -- esp. now
that O'Malley's gone public with his very legitimate concerns -- it could
literally end up making the difference for Hillary, effectively shoving Hill
down Dem voters throats by suffocating them in an information vacuum
that's normally filled with HAVING DEBATES.
By this time in 2007, they were already on the airwaves, but this time
Hillary and her surrogate DWS are corrupting the party with conspicuous
favoritism for only ONE candidate.
SoapBox
(18,791 posts)We've had multiple posts about local offices that have nothing but HRC materials in them.
News flash DNC...unless she's already bought the election, WE the peril have not yet voted.
Bravo Mr. O'Malley for bringing this up.
AgingAmerican
(12,958 posts)Bernie threatens their golden geese.
nc4bo
(17,651 posts)jalan48
(13,883 posts)antigop
(12,778 posts)elleng
(131,107 posts)NYCButterfinger
(755 posts)When the Democratic Party did not have a message for the 2014 midterm elections. But, she may not be the one to blame too. Alison Lundergan Grimes, Paul Davis, etc. did not inspire Kansas Democrats, Ky. Democrats, etc. to turn out.
elleng
(131,107 posts)but then again maybe it IS a 'one,' awaiting coronation The PARTY should have removed her. No guts, imo.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)It's pretty obvious now that the DNC, the DCCC and the DSCC all decided in advance to throw the 2014 midterms.
JDPriestly
(57,936 posts)Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)when they ignore you and screw you over like they were planning to do in the first place.
William769
(55,147 posts)I guess I should bring the cheese plate because we definitely have the whine!
elleng
(131,107 posts)William769
(55,147 posts)Can you say e-mails? Just to name one.
artislife
(9,497 posts)They just want H to win.
Nothing else matters.
elleng
(131,107 posts)It is sad.
RichVRichV
(885 posts)It's long past time to get these debates going. It will make the candidates stronger and make the party stronger. This is one thing we should all agree on if we truly believe in our candidates and Democracy.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)Dems is not tilting the race towards Hillary, I have decided to support Hillary probably based on the same type of facts you may be supporting O'Malley. I don't have anything against O'Malley and have researched his experiences, etc and I already knew a lot about Hillary and based on experience I decided to support Hillary. The DNC did not tilt anything towards Hillary for me to support her.
I am somewhat surprised O'Malley may be claiming this, I am most surprised O'Malley has not cut deeply into Bernie's numbers in the polls. O'Malley will have to sell himself.
rocktivity
(44,577 posts)Avoiding the APPEARANCE of impropriety is just as necessary as avoiding impropriety itself. Reducing the number of debates by SEVENTY-FIVE per cent when only Hillary has major national exposure creates the appearance (if not the reality) of Wasserman Schultz trying to create a mulligan. Maybe she should recuse herself from this aspect of the DNC chairpersonship.
rocktivity
P.S. If Rachel Maddow doesn't at least touch on this subject, I'm going to be extremely disappointed.
bigtree
(86,005 posts)..."We had already had six of them, I think by this time last time around."
This is a farce. Voters should demand more from the party. At least demand Hillary agree to more. I'd bet if she runs into trouble in the polls she'll either wish for more debates or demand them herself.
hedda_foil
(16,375 posts)I worry that by the mid-October first debate, the DNC's chosen moderators will give both O'Malley and Bernie the Kucinich debate treatment while Hillary gets the kid glove approach.