Protestors calling for more debates overshadowed Democratic leaders during the New Hampshire Democratic Convention.
Democratic National Committee leader Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s speech at the convention Saturday was interrupted by protesters who want more than the six debates scheduled for this primary season.
“Come on folks, we are all on the same side. So let’s make sure we focus on the Republicans,” the congresswoman said in her speech.
“My friends, what’s more important: Drawing a contrast with Republicans or arguing about debates? Let’s focus on our mission and the task at hand,” Wasserman Schultz added.
The Florida lawmaker has taken heat from protesters and several lower tier candidates for only scheduling six debates among the Democratic challengers. That is three fewer than the nine scheduled by Republican candidates.
The first Democratic debate is scheduled for October 13 on CNN.
Calls to add more debates have started to gain steam in some Democratic circles. House minority leader Nancy Pelosi said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times that she would like to see more debates scheduled.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “does well — I think they all do well on them — and we should have more debates,” Pelosi said in the Times report. She declined to name a specific number, but did say that the 26 debates in 2008 among Democratic primary contenders was “probably too many,” the Times said.
Lower tier rivals such as former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley have called for more debates, but Wasserman Schultz has said the number will not change.
Jennifer Epstein a Bloomberg political correspondent, tweeted a video of the crowd chanting, “We want more debates!”
Video of NH Democratic crowd interrupting DNC Chair @dwstweets with "we want debates" and "more debates" chants pic.twitter.com/dB2Spg4clf— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) September 19, 2015
