Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard called on her 2020 presidential primary rivals to stand on principle and demand the Democratic National Committee (DNC) allow her to debate.
Gabbard, whose last debate appearance was in November, addressed independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden directly, challenging them to call on the DNC to allow her to participate in the next debate. (RELATED: DNC Announces ‘Of Course’ Threshold Will Increase After Tulsi Gabbard Clears Previous Debate Requirements)
“I’m sure you would agree that our Democratic nominee should be a person who will stand up for what is right. So I ask that you have the courage to do that now in the face of the DNC’s effort to keep me from participating in the debates,” Gabbard tweeted.
.@JoeBiden @BernieSanders I’m sure you would agree that our Democratic nominee should be a person who will stand up for what is right. So I ask that you have the courage to do that now in the face of the DNC’s effort to keep me from participating in the debates. #LetTulsiDebate
— Tulsi Gabbard ???? (@TulsiGabbard) March 7, 2020
Gabbard then claimed that the DNC had implemented a rule change that was designed to exclude her, adding, “To keep me off the stage, the DNC again arbitrarily changed the debate qualifications. Previously they changed the qualifications in the OPPOSITE direction so Bloomberg could debate. I ask that you stand w/ me against the DNC’s transparent effort to exclude me from the debates.”
To keep me off the stage, the DNC again arbitrarily changed the debate qualifications. Previously they changed the qualifications in the OPPOSITE direction so Bloomberg could debate. I ask that you stand w/ me against the DNC’s transparent effort to exclude me from the debates.
— Tulsi Gabbard ???? (@TulsiGabbard) March 7, 2020
Gabbard, whose two delegates would have put her over the debate threshold under the DNC’s previous rules, was bumped from contention when new rules were implemented.
Just in: The DNC announced the threshold for the next debate (March 15) and it’d be virtually impossible for Tulsi Gabbard to make it.
Candidates will need 20% of all delegates awarded thus far – she has (delegate, <1%).
Joe Biden vs. Bernie Sanders, alone.
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) March 6, 2020
Gabbard (who hasn’t been in a debate since Nov.) has 2 delegates.
You need 20% of all delegates by March 15 to debate, which is ~374. There are only 352 delegates *total* available on March 10, so…
Biden (596 delegates) vs. Sanders (528 delegates).https://t.co/KhC0Hc6xHg
— Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) March 6, 2020
Following the most recent wave of campaign dropouts, Gabbard is the only Democratic candidate remaining who is neither male nor white.