MINNEAPOLIS — Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley used his allotted time at the Democratic presidential candidates’ forum to rail against the national committee’s debate rules, standing only a few feet away from its chairman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Nevertheless, most the of the crowd at the DNC summer meeting seemed to like what O’Malley had to say, interrupting with loud applause.
“Four debates and only four debates, we are told not asked. before voters in our earliest states make their decision,” O’Malley said. “This is totally unprecedented in our party. This sort of rigged process has never been attempted before.”
“Whose decree is it?” he asked. “Where did it come from? To what end? For what purpose? What national or party interest does this decree serve?” A large portion of the crowd then shouted, “Nooo!”
Since the DNC announced the debate schedule earlier this summer, O’Malley and Bernie Sanders have demanded more debates. The DNC also penalizes candidates who participate in non-sanctioned debates by barring them from the main event with front-runner Hillary Clinton.
While speaking to the press later on O’Malley said that the DNC had set up the debate protocols to benefit Clinton. Many members of the party understandably have close personal ties to the former of state, O’Malley acknowledged, but that doesn’t justify giving her an unfair advantage.
“I think a lot of people in the DNC were kind of surprised to hear that there was a move to limit debates,” O’Malley told reporters. “Now that’s not how we operate.”
One Democrat in the audience who didn’t appear to appreciate O’Malley’s comments was Wasserman Schultz. The DNC leader looked visibly uncomfortable and when he walked off stage the two appeared to have a short, awkward exchange, in which she did not shake his hand.
Wasserman Schultz later let out some steam about it to the press. “He chose to use that 15 minutes to focus on debates as opposed to his candidacy. That was certainly his right,” she was quoted as saying. She dismissed the idea there was anything legally wrong with the debate rules.
