The Democratic National Committee has drawn the ire of many liberals for its apparent protect Hillary at all costs agenda in the 2016 election. Debbie Wasserman Schultz shocked her party when she announced there would only be six primary debates. When pressure mounted, she insisted that number was cemented.
The complaints have turned to protests. Angry Democrat voters showed up at the DNC headquarters in Washington, D.C. last week for an event organized by the group Allow Debate, carrying with them a petition to demand more debates.
Now, voters are aiming their ire directly at the chairwoman. Schultz spoke at the New Hampshire Democratic Party convention on Saturday and was not greeted too kindly:
The chants began as Debbie Wasserman Schultz told the crowd she was looking forward to the December debate in Manchester, New Hampshire.
"We want debates! More debates!" party members yelled out, drowning out her remarks.
The whole exchange is below, courtesy of Hot Air.
Others expressed their displeasure through signs...and angry glares:
People holding up these signs, yelling "We want debates! More debates!" during @DWStweets remarks pic.twitter.com/VEj7I5GWKK
— Liz Kreutz (@ABCLiz) September 19, 2015Many of the protesters present were supporters of two of Clinton’s opponents, Bernie Sanders and Martin O’Malley, both of whom have been vocally opposed to the debate cap.
In 2008, there were 25 debates during the 2008 election. How can Democrats not assume, therefore, that the DNC is trying to shield Hillary? Her lackluster debate performance seven years ago did not exactly excite voters and opened the door for the eventual nominee Barack Obama to take the spotlight. The DNC appears determined to make sure that doesn’t happen again by limiting her opponents’ airtime and preventing much of a need for Hillary to defend her agenda, which is often not liberal enough for Democrat voters.
Hillary says she’s a “real person.” Perhaps she should prove it by making herself more available to American voters and encouraging the DNC to give both her and her challengers more opportunities to voice their messages.
Editor's note: An earlier version of this post read that the rally at the DNC HQ was organized by the Martin O'Malley campaign. It was actually organized by a group called Allow Debate.