AP Photo O'Malley slams DNC for 'rigged' debate plan

Martin O'Malley has made no bones about his opposition to the Democratic National Committee's relatively light presidential debate schedule.

But on Friday, the former governor of Maryland and Democratic presidential candidate took his message to the heart of the party -- at the DNC's summer meeting in Minneapolis next to top DNC officials, including Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.


"We need debate!" he told a roaring crowd in a jam-packed room, many of whom were wearing shirts supporting independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. "What are we afraid of?"

The Republican debate could easily be mistaken for a reality TV show, he said.

"While the Republicans put their backwards ideas forward before an audience of more than 20 million Americans. We put our forward-thinking ideas on the backburner...and try to hide them from the airwaves," O'Malley said,

The DNC has currently only scheduled four debates before the first primaries and caucuses in February.

Calling the process "rigged" and "never attempted before," he slammed the party for throwing up obstacles.

"How does this help us tell the story of the last eight years of Democratic progress? How does this promote our Democratic ideas for making wages and household incomes go up again and not down?" O'Malley said to applause. "How does this help us make our case to the people? One debate in Iowa. That’s it? One debate in New Hampshire. That's all we can afford?"

"Is this how the Democratic Party selects its nominee?" he asked, met with a "no!" from the audience. The former governor got loud applause for the lines, even from some wearing Sanders shirts.

The Republican debates, he declared, are being run by a "hate-spewing carnival barker" in Donald Trump.

"Will we let the circus run unchallenged on every channel, as we cower in the shadows under a decree of silence in the ranks?" he asked. "Or will we demand equal time to showcase our ideas, our solutions to the nation's problems, and our leadership for the better America we carry in hearts?"

Gabriel Debenedetti contributed to this report from Minneapolis.