This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/20/us/politics/democrats-presidential-debates.html

The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Democratic Committee Plans a Dozen Primary Debates for 2020 Democratic Committee Plans a Dozen Primary Debates for 2020
(about 1 hour later)
WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee on Thursday unveiled the early outlines of their 2020 presidential primary debate plans, a process that could allow a large number of candidates to face off over two consecutive evenings.WASHINGTON — The Democratic National Committee on Thursday unveiled the early outlines of their 2020 presidential primary debate plans, a process that could allow a large number of candidates to face off over two consecutive evenings.
Tom Perez, the chair of the committee, announced that the party would host 12 debates, with six held next year and the rest in the first six months of 2020. In a switch from the traditional practice of holding nearly all the debates in early primary states, none are scheduled for Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada until 2020. Tom Perez, the chairman of the committee, announced that the party would host 12 debates, with six held next year and the rest in the first six months of 2020. In a switch from the traditional practice of holding nearly all the debates in early primary states, none are scheduled for Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada until 2020.
With nearly three dozen Democrats pondering a presidential bid, party officials anticipate a rush of candidates eager to grab a spot in the nationally televised forums. Depending on the size of the field, the committee may decide to split the debate over two evenings, and would conduct a public and random selection process to determine which candidates speak on which nights.With nearly three dozen Democrats pondering a presidential bid, party officials anticipate a rush of candidates eager to grab a spot in the nationally televised forums. Depending on the size of the field, the committee may decide to split the debate over two evenings, and would conduct a public and random selection process to determine which candidates speak on which nights.
Mr. Perez said the committee had not set a maximum number of candidates who could appear on the stage and is planning for the possibility of a “double-digit field.”Mr. Perez said the committee had not set a maximum number of candidates who could appear on the stage and is planning for the possibility of a “double-digit field.”
“We will likely have a large field of candidates,” he said. “We expect that large field and we welcome that large field. Accommodating a large field of such qualified candidates is a first class problem to have.” “We will likely have a large field of candidates,” he said. “We expect that large field and we welcome that large field. Accommodating a large field of such qualified candidates is a first-class problem to have.”
The new process is a direct response to criticism leveled during the 2016 campaign that the committee organized the debate schedule to favor Hillary Clinton, the eventual party nominee. Her two primary opponents, Senator Bernie Sanders, of Vermont and the former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, accused the party’s leadership of creating a “rigged” process by limiting the number of debates to six — two of which were scheduled for Saturday evenings and one for a Sunday. Eventually the committee sanctioned four more face-offs. The new process is a direct response to criticism leveled during the 2016 campaign that the committee organized the debate schedule to favor Hillary Clinton, the eventual party nominee. Her two primary opponents, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and the former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley, accused the party’s leadership of creating a “rigged” process by limiting the number of debates to six — two of which were scheduled for Saturday evenings and one for a Sunday. Eventually the committee sanctioned four more face-offs.
In 2020, the committee plans to change the threshold for participation to include factors beyond just the polling number, such as grass-roots fund-raising support. In 2020, the committee plans to change the threshold for participation to include factors beyond just polling, such as grass-roots fund-raising support.
The first debate will take place in June of 2019 and the last in April 2020. The committee will not sanction a candidate’s participation in any other debates, though forums hosted by other groups are permitted as long as only one candidate appears on the stage at a time. The first debate will take place in June 2019 and the last in April 2020. The committee will not sanction a candidate’s participation in any other debates, though forums hosted by other groups are permitted as long as only one candidate appears on the stage at a time.
“We want to make sure that the grass-roots have a real say in who our next nominee is,” said Mr. Perez. “Grass-roots fund-raising is one method of ensuring participation from candidates who may have a different background and profile and base of support.”“We want to make sure that the grass-roots have a real say in who our next nominee is,” said Mr. Perez. “Grass-roots fund-raising is one method of ensuring participation from candidates who may have a different background and profile and base of support.”