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Clinton, Sanders continue debate over additional debates

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Democratic race in Iowa tightening on eve of caucuses?

2016 presdentThe limited Democratic National Committee debate schedule is now an issue for top candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Sanders has pressed the issue for additional debates, and now the Clinton camp seems to be coming around, though, as you might expect, the topic of debates itself is a topic worth debating.

The two sides have agreed to a debate in New Hampshire next week, with a catch: the Sanders side is conditioning its acceptance of that debate on Clinton agreeing to three debates in March, April and May.

The Clinton side has not agreed to debates proposed by Sanders for March 3 in Michigan and April 14 in New York, agreeing only to May 24 in California and a vague notion of a debate without a date in Michigan.

“We are pleased to do it on March 3 before the Michigan primary provided the Clinton campaign will agree to Brooklyn, New York, on April 14. Why won’t they debate in Brooklyn? What’s the matter with Brooklyn?” Sanders campaign manager Jeff Weaver said.

All of this as polls show the race tight in Iowa. The final Des Moines Register poll before the Monday caucuses has Clinton up on Sanders by three points, 45-42, though three other pre-caucus polls out late in the week had Clinton ahead by double-digits.

“Turnout will be the key to Bernie’s success on caucus night. From now until Monday night we will be working as hard as possible to knock on as many doors and call as many Bernie supporters as possible,” said Pete D’Alessandro, Sanders’ top Iowa strategist.

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