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Clinton presses for debate before New Hampshire primary

<p>MSNBC and the largest newspaper in New Hampshire <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/267072-report-nbc-nh-newspaper-to-hold-unsanctioned-dem-debate" target="_blank">have added a Democratic primary debate</a> to the schedule. Sort of. Maybe. </p><p>The debate, which is scheduled to take place Feb. 4, is unsanctioned by the Democratic Party, meaning any candidate who actually participates would be unable to attend any <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/267072-report-nbc-nh-newspaper-to-hold-unsanctioned-dem-debate" target="_blank">Democratic National Committee sanctioned</a> debates. That rule has only been implemented during this primary, and networks have gotten around this rule by adding town halls, where the candidates are questioned alone by a moderator or the crowd. </p><p>Unsurprisingly, Gov. Martin O'Malley is all for it. He's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9gUyvCgEtM" target="_blank">been calling for more debates throughout</a> the process. But front-runner Hillary Clinton is also <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/andrea-mitchell-reports/watch/clinton-let-s-try-to-make-new-dem-debate-happen-609895491972" target="_blank">pushing for the DNC</a> to actually sanction the debate. (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPhAdg5wNr0" target="_blank">Hillary for America</a>) </p><p>"I would like the chairman of the party and the campaigns to agree that we can debate in New Hampshire next week. That is what I'm hoping will happen," Clinton said <a href="http://www.msnbc.com/andrea-mitchell-reports/watch/clinton-let-s-try-to-make-new-dem-debate-happen-609895491972" target="_blank">in an interview with MSNBC</a>. </p><p>Currently, the DNC has scheduled six sanctioned debates; <a href="http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/is-six-democratic-debates-too-few/" target="_blank">that's the same number they authorized in 2008</a>, but allowing unsanctioned events boosted the number of debates to 25. Many have criticized the 2016 process, saying it's rigged to give Clinton a <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/h-a-goodman/bernie-sanders-will-become-president_b_8780730.html" target="_blank">clear path to the general election.</a> (Video via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfFMgPCVIt8" target="_blank">NBC</a>) </p><p>So far, it doesn't look like the <a href="http://www.democrats.org/post/dnc-statement-on-demdebate-schedule" target="_blank">DNC is going to budge</a>. But the MSNBC debate is just the latest backlash both national committees have faced on the primary process they've created for their candidates.</p><p>The Republican National Committee has <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/rnc-debate-hell-reince-priebus-215413" target="_blank">already dealt with rogue candidates</a> after the widely-criticized CNBC debate prompted some candidates to consider sidelining the RNC and negotiate their own debate schedule.</p><p>In response, the <a href="https://gop.com/nbc-letter/?" target="_blank">RNC suspended</a> its partnership with <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/gop-2016-challengers-debate-changes-215352" target="_blank">NBC for a February debate</a>. The RNC wanted to make sure the candidates knew it was listening to their concerns and, as Politico put it, make sure they knew <a href="http://www.politico.com/story/2015/10/rnc-debate-hell-reince-priebus-215413" target="_blank">"we have your back."</a></p><p>The DNC hasn't really done that during this campaign season. Calls for more debates have been, for the most part, ignored. But <a href="http://www.democrats.org/post/dnc-statement-on-demdebate-schedule" target="_blank">in a statement</a>, the DNC says it will reconvene with the campaigns after the New Hampshire primary to "review" the schedule.</p><p><i>This video includes images from Getty Images. </i></p>
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ADEL, Iowa (AP) — Hillary Clinton pressed the Democratic National Committee on Wednesday to add a presidential debate before next month's New Hampshire primary, seeking another high-profile exchange with rival Bernie Sanders.

The push by Clinton for more debates — and Sanders' resistance to adding another forum — underscores his strength in Iowa and New Hampshire and the heightened concern within Clinton's team that she could lose both of the first early voting states.

Clinton is trailing Sanders in New Hampshire and locked in a tight contest in Monday's Iowa caucuses, raising the possibility that the Democratic front-runner could lose the first two presidential contests. Adding another debate before New Hampshire's Feb. 9 primary would give her a large television audience that might help her reach undecided voters.

"I am, you know, anxious if we can get something set up to be able to be there. So let's try to make it happen," Clinton said in a phone interview with MSNBC, which announced the new debate with the Union Leader, New Hampshire's largest newspaper.

Clinton said she wanted DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz to approve the debate and for Sanders to join her. But both have resisted.

Amy Dacey, the DNC's chief executive officer, said on Twitter earlier Wednesday that "Democrats have a debate schedule, and we're sticking to it."

Sanders' campaign has said it has no plans to participate because the DNC hasn't sanctioned the proposed debate. The Vermont senator's campaign has warned it could jeopardize their ability to participate in upcoming debates scheduled in Wisconsin and Florida.

Sanders wants the DNC to consider adding 3 or 4 more debates after the ones currently scheduled, campaign manager Jeff Weaver said Tuesday. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley, who has long criticized the DNC's debate schedule, supports adding the debate in New Hampshire.

For months, O'Malley and some of Sanders' supporters have claimed that the national committee is rigging the schedule to benefit Clinton, scheduling fewer debates to avoid undermining her national lead in the polls. Many of the televised events have been held on weekend evenings, giving it a limited audience.

Clinton's push for more debates signals her deficit in New Hampshire against Sanders, who has represented neighboring Vermont in Congress for more than two decades.