After an extended stand-off, Sanders has finally agreed to debate Hillary Clinton on April 14, just before the New York primary. Sanders initially resisted the date.
CNN will co-host the debate with NY1, which will take place at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
Sanders proposed four dates originally, April 10-13, while Clinton agreed to a debate on April 14. The Sanders campaign initially rejected the date due to a scheduled rally on the same date.
Michael Briggs, a Sanders spokesman said in a statement on Sunday, “The Clinton campaign disingenuously announced that it had agreed to a debate on another day.” Briggs noted that Clinton knew Senator Sanders was locked into a park permit for a major rally.
Bill de Blasio, New York City Mayor and Clinton supporter, ensured Sanders that he would help him secure any permit he needed if he agreed to the debate.
Negotiations between the DNC (Democratic National Committee) and the two campaigns went on for several minutes before the debate was finally announced. The DNC will not be involved in the debate. The Sanders campaign would not have agreed to the April 14 date otherwise.
The Sanders campaign was able to move its major New York City rally to April 13, the night before the debate. Briggs took a jab at Hillary Clinton when announcing the rally date change, stating that he hoped the debate was worth the inconvenience for the thousands of New Yorkers that will now have to change their plans to accommodate Clinton’s “jam-packed, high-dollar” fundraising spree.
