Despite public objections from O’Malley and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who have called for more debates, DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz has sanctioned six debates, only four before next February’s Iowa caucuses.

O’Malley, speaking from the DNC dais with Wasserman-Schultz sitting a few feet to his left, slammed what he called a “cynical move to delay or limit our own party debates.”

“Who’s decree is this exactly? Where did it come from? To what end or purpose?” O’Malley asked. He added, “We put our forward-thinking ideas on the back-burner as if we’re trying to hide them from the airwaves.”