Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley took aim at the Democratic National Committee Wednesday over its decision to limit the number of party-sanctioned presidential debates to six.
In a video released titled “Iowa Deserves More Debates,” O’Malley railed against the few number of debates during the Democratic nomination process, calling out “those in Washington” who are trying to “limit the number of debates.”
O’Malley made the remarks while speaking to a group of supporters during the opening of the campaign’s Cedar Rapids field office Wednesday afternoon. The trailing 2016 Democratic presidential candidate needs debates to break through.
O’Malley accused Democrats in Washington of wanting to “circle the wagons and close off debates.”
“I think they have another thing coming when they talk to the people of Iowa,” he added. “Because these are the issues about which we need to have not just one debate, not just two, but many debates because those debates will shape the future of the country we give our kids.”
“Don’t you agree?” O’Malley said to applause in the crowd before the 37-second-long video ends.
OMalley’s comments came after reports that the DNC is set to release their debate schedule on Friday, one day after the first Republican debate in Cleveland. O’Malley and fellow candidate Bernie Sanders are reportedly clamoring for more debates, while prohibitive frontrunner Hillary Clinton is pushing for fewer than six and will refuse to participate in any beyond that.
