Subject: Fwd: DNC Debate Proposal
From: Charlie Baker <[email-masked]>
To: John Podesta <[email-masked]>
Cc: Charlie Baker <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2015 22:42:13 +0000

Memorandum

TO:

Robby Mook

FROM:

Charlie Baker

DATE:

April 24, 2015

CC:

Jen Palmieri

RE:

DNC Debate Proposal

Beginning in February on 2015, the DNC, through its communications operation (Mo Elleithee and Anita Dunn) began discussing with representative of potential Democratic candidates the establishment of a "sanctioned" schedule of debates. The DNC is now close to rolling that proposal out publicly.
Background. The RNC early in the cycle announced a formal schedule of debates for their primary candidates. That schedule as of today consists of 12 separate debates beginning in August 2015. The RNC debates are spread around the country with no more than 1 debate in any state. As part of establishing that schedule the RNC has insisted that the candidates and networks who participate in those "sanctioned" debates would agree not to participate in unsanctioned debates if they are to participate in the sanctioned debates.
Our Position. Through discussion with the consultant team, we concluded it was in our interest to: 1) limit the number of debates ( and the number in each state); 2) start the debates as late as possible; 3) keep debates out of the busy window between February 1 and February  27, 2015 (Iowa to South Carolina); 4) create a schedule that would allow later debates to be cancelled if the race is for practical purposes over; and 5) encourage an emphasis on local issues and local media participants in the debate formats.
            Through discussion with the DNC there current plan is to begin a debate schedule that would commence in early October, with one a month, one each in the early primary and caucus states, and the remaining 2 post South Carolina (which we anticipate would be cancelled if the race ends). The DNC current plan is to release the attached press release (which lacks this specificity but confirms the number and start window for the debates).  The other campaigns have advocated (not surprisingly) for more debates and for the schedule to start significantly earlier. Mo and Anita believe that this announcement prior to the actual entry into the race of other candidates will strengthen their hand as they lock a schedule in with local media partners and state parties.
            One remaining issue is the criteria for participation: we believe it is important to the extent possible to keep the debates "multicandidate" and to eliminate the possibility of one on one debates; the most likely standard that would achieve this result is to allow any announced candidate who is: 1) a Democrat and, 2) who meets some threshold of viability (1 percent) in either a national or state specific (e.g. Iowa, NH) to participate.