DNC chief: Debates scheduled to ‘maximize’ candidates’ exposure

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Sunday said she scheduled primary debates with the goal of maximizing media attention for the party’s presidential candidates.

“I did my best to make sure, along with my staff and along with our debate partners, to come up with a schedule that we felt was going … to maximize the opportunity for voters to see our candidates,” Wasserman Schultz said on CNN’s “Reliable Sources.”

{mosads}Democrats have criticized the chairwoman, a congresswoman from Florida, for limiting the number of debates, accusing the party of displaying favoritism toward front-runner Hillary Clinton.

Wasserman Schultz said scheduling more debates would “take away” from opportunities for voters to see candidates in person on the campaign trail.

Candidate Bernie Sanders has said the DNC is using primary debates to rig the race.

The next debate aired Sunday night debate on NBC, a day before Martin Luther King Jr. national holiday and on the same day as two National Football League playoff games.

The next debate is scheduled for Feb. 11, after both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary election.

The Republican Party has one more debate scheduled before Iowa, on Jan. 28, and one before New Hampshire, on Feb. 6.

The chairwoman said the GOP needs more debates because they have more candidates.

“They have a dozen candidates, and we have three,” she said.

A spokesperson for Martin O’Malley’s Democratic presidential campaign later tweeted that the debate schedule has done a “huge disservice” to Democrats, the Democratic Party and the American people. 

Debate sked has done huge disservice not only to Dem candidates, but also to Dem Party, @POTUS, & American ppl. https://t.co/TreuZ0Styp

— Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) January 17, 2016

.@tuckahoetommy It was orchestrated by @DWSTweets & @HillaryClinton’s campaign, which ironically has now turned on DWS 4 terrible sked.

— Lis Smith (@Lis_Smith) January 17, 2016

Updated at 3:43 p.m.