A science advocacy group is putting $100,000 toward hosting a Democratic presidential primary debate focused on climate change after the Democratic National Committee (DNC) said it wouldn’t hold the issue-specific forum.
314 Action, an organization that works to elect scientists, created an online petition that asks for partner organizations to join in on hosting a climate change-specific debate in the fall and calls on candidates to commit to participating.
“For us and for the country, it’s like, this is a debate that’s worth having and the DNC should allow for this debate to happen,” 314 Action executive director Josh Morrow told The Hill. ADVERTISEMENT
The group believes one or two questions about such a pressing issue asked to each candidate during a debate is not enough.
314 Action’s plan follows calls from several 2020 candidates asking for a climate change debate — first requested by Washington Gov. Jay InsleeJay Robert InsleeInslee calls on Trump to ‘stay out of Washington state’s business’ Seattle mayor responds to Trump: ‘Go back to your bunker’ Trump warns he will take back Seattle from ‘ugly Anarchists’ if local leaders don’t act MORE (D).
DNC Chairman Tom PerezThomas Edward PerezClinton’s top five vice presidential picks Government social programs: Triumph of hope over evidence Labor’s ‘wasteful spending and mismanagement” at Workers’ Comp MORE published a statement on Medium earlier this month, doubling down on his position to not allow a climate change debate. While acknowledging the urgent threat climate change poses, Perez said he’s received more than 50 requests for debates focused on other issues.
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“If we change our guidelines at the request of one candidate who has made climate change their campaign’s signature issue, how do we say no to the numerous other requests we’ve had?” Perez said.
That argument isn’t strong enough, Morrow said.
“They wrote the rules, they can rewrite the rules,” Morrow said.
The Hill has reached out to the DNC for comment.
Xochitl Hinojosa, a DNC spokeswoman, told The Hill in an email, “We have said from the beginning of this debate process that we welcome forums on issues like climate change and believe that candidates should take advantage of these platforms.”
“In 2017, Tom Perez started meeting with potential media partners and made clear that climate change must be a topic not only at one debate, but multiple debates,” Hinojosa continued. “Climate change is a threat to our nation and our world, and I’m proud that every person on that debate stage will make it a priority as president, while Republicans continue to deny the impacts of climate change.”
314 Action has not yet heard from any of the candidates, but Morrow said he anticipates he will.
The first Democratic debates will be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Miami. Twenty candidates will participate, 10 on each night.
Updated 2:15 p.m.