Bernie Sanders calls for a DNC-sanctioned debate Feb. 4 in New Hampshire

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last updated 28 January 2016

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is calling for more debates among all three Democratic Party presidential candidates, his campaign manager announced Wednesday.

Jeff Weaver issued the statement after a spokeswoman for Hillary Clinton said she'd be "happy to participate in a debate in New Hampshire if the other candidates agree, which would allow the DNC to sanction the debate." Sanders said he wouldn't attend a debate that wasn't sanctioned, because he doesn't want to risk being unable to participate in future sanctioned events.

"Sen. Sanders is happy to have more debates, but we are not going to schedule them on an ad hoc basis at the whim of the Clinton campaign," the statement said. "If Secretary Clinton wants more debates, that's great." Sanders proposes three additional debates — one in March, one in April, and one in May — with none falling on a Friday, Saturday, or a holiday weekend. He also wants to ensure that invitations are sent to each candidate. "If the Clinton campaign will commit to this schedule," the statement reads, "we would ask the DNC to arrange a debate in New Hampshire on Feb. 4."

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Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

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