In an interview on Monday with MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Hillary Clinton was asked whether her campaign was behind the inconveniently timed and very sparse Democratic debate schedule, which both O’Malley and Sanders have implied was rigged to support Clinton.
“There isn’t another Democratic debate before Iowa or before the primary in New Hampshire,” Maddow asked in the interview, which was conducted over the phone. “Do you wish there were more debates? Are you enjoying the debates when they do happen?”
Clinton chose to answer the latter question. “I love the debates, I really do! I feel that it gives me a chance to get up on the stage and explain my positions, answer questions from the moderators, draw contrast with my opponents. So it’s been a good experience for me so far.”
“Is it true that your campaign advocated for a light schedule, and particularly these debates being on in TV Siberia, on weekends and holidays?” Maddow asked.
“Well, Rachel, I really don’t have any knowledge of that,” Clinton responded. “I’m not saying that nobody representing me or the other campaigns didn’t express an opinion. But it was my understanding that in looking at the sequencing of these debates, looking at the numbers of people who watched back in ‘08, there was a decision to try to have a monthly debate once people were beginning to pay attention and try to drive more viewership.”
