Hillary Clinton has opted out of an invitation to debate challenger Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT) on Fox News Channel prior to the June 7th primary in California.
As John Sexton pointed out Monday night, Sanders had agreed to the debate which would have been the first and only exchange between the Democratic Party’s contenders this primary season. Clinton’s campaign released a statement yesterday suggesting that rather than take up another debate opportunity with her rival on the left, she’d instead focus on her general election foe, Donald Trump.
That kind of attitude will hardly come as welcome news to Sanders supporters who feel like Clinton and her allies at the DNC have rigged the nomination process in her favor. As Sanders promises a “messy” convention in Philadelphia this Summer, Clinton’s high-handed behavior actually fuels the fire already smoldering within the party.
Fox News responded in a statement of their own. Bill Sammon, Fox News VP and Washington Managing Editor said:
“Naturally, Fox News is disappointed that Secretary Clinton has declined our debate invitation, especially given that the race is still contested and she had previously agreed to a final debate before the California primary.”
Not only did she previously agree to a final debate before the California primary, back in 2008 when she was fighting from behind to defeat then-Senator Barack Obama in a hotly contested primary battle, Clinton was indignant at the thought that her opponent would not agree to a debate prior to the Golden State contest.
In fact, exactly eight years ago, to the day, Clinton said this about Obama’s plan to not debate her:
“Honestly, I just believe this is the most important job in the world. It’s the toughest job in the world. You should be willing to campaign for every vote. You should be willing to debate anytime, anywhere. “
It’s nice to be a Clinton, isn’t it?.
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