Clinton And Sanders Embroiled In A ‘Debate Of The Debate’
Both the Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders campaigns have been engaged in a brouhaha that has “fuhgettaboutit” written all over it.
The Democratic candidates can’t seem to finalize details about a debate that would take place in Brooklyn before the New York State Democratic Primary which will take place on April 19.
Brooklyn-born Sanders originally challenged Clinton to spar on home soil, although she initially declined to do so. However, CNN reports that “her aides have been working with the Democratic National Committee behind the scenes to solidify a date.”
According to Brian Fallon, Clinton’s national press secretary, Clinton suggested April 4, 14 and 15 as possibilities, however all three dates were rejected by the Sanders campaign.
In a released statement, Bernie Sanders’ spokesperson Michael Briggs said:
“We are very pleased that Secretary Clinton finally has accepted our request for a debate about the needs of New York and America. Unfortunately, the dates and venues she has proposed don’t make a whole lot of sense.”
“The idea that they want a debate in New York on a night of the NCAA finals — with Syracuse in the tournament no less — is ludicrous. We have proposed other dates which they have rejected. We hope we can reach agreement in the near future. The people of New York and America deserve to see and hear a debate on the important issues facing the state and country.”
[Syracuse will not appear in the Championship Game after losing to North Carolina.]
Fallon said that the Sanders’ campaign “needs to stop with the games. Over the course of the last week, we have offered three specific dates for a debate in New York, all of which the Sanders campaign rejected.”
A “debate of letters” has now ensued between the campaign managers. CNN reports that Sanders’ campaign manager Jeff Weaver sent a letter to Robby Mook, Clinton’s campaign manager, which says “your campaign has consistently chosen to deny the people of New York the opportunity to see Senator Sanders and Secretary Clinton debate in the Empire State.”
Brooklyn has become a hotbed of the Democratic Presidential campaign, revving up a bit more after Sanders opened a campaign office in Gowanus on March 26. Clinton signed a lease about about a year ago before moving her campaign headquarters into One Pierrepoint Plaza in Brooklyn Heights.
So who’s more Brooklyn? Clinton’s campaign was criticized for keeping the offices off limits to the media for three months, and initially not being the most welcoming of offices. And Bernie was unaware until recently that subway tokens haven’t been used here since 2003.
While tokens and campaign office visits have been cleared up, debate details still remain rather murky.