The internal battle among Democrats both over the number and timing of the DNC’s six official debates escalated on Thursday after weeks of public protest by fellow candidates Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders.
In an email sent to his supporters, former Maryland Gov. O’Malley urged that it’s “time to protest,” prompting them to join a scheduled protest rally outside the DNC headquarters.
On September 16, a protest group calling itself #AllowDebate will stage an event designed to put public pressure on the DNC to add additional debates to the schedule.
To date, both Sanders and O’Malley have stepped up criticism of DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz’ recent decision to move debates to a later timeframe and to limit them in number.
O’Malley went so far in a recent interview to accuse Shultz of rigging the debate schedule in order to “coronate” Hillary Clinton by limiting her opposition.
