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Clinton Spokesman Wavers, Says Another Debate Is Possible

March 28, 2016

The press secretary for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, Brian Fallon, was asked by CNN's Brooke Baldwin on Monday about whether Clinton would agree to participate in another debate with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) during the primary campaign.

Earlier Monday, Clinton's chief strategist, Joel Benenson, said that Clinton would not participate in another debate with Sanders unless Sanders' campaign stops its "negative campaign tone."

Fallon, however, seemed to be more open than Benenson to a debate.

"The Sanders camp has challenged Hillary Clinton to a debate, here in New York, you know, obviously the question is, will you? We've heard from Joel Benenson earlier today; he was on CNN, you know, chief strategist for the Clinton campaign, and he told us essentially that, no, there would be no debate unless Sanders changed his tone," Baldwin said.

"Do you agree with that, do you think that unless Bernie Sanders changes his tone and you tell me how you want him to, you won't debate?" Baldwin asked.

"Well look, it's still only March, so there's plenty of time to consider a potential debate in April, and if we have one, where the site for it would be," Fallon said. "The Sanders campaign sent us a letter over the weekend, which I consider to have been a stunt."

"So if-if that doesn't change, am I hearing you say, then, no to a debate?" Baldwin said.

"Well, there's plenty of time to consider it. We have more than three weeks between now and the New York primary, so there's plenty of time to consider that," Fallon said. "We've put together debates on much shorter notice than this, but we are carefully watching the fact that the Sanders campaign is saying they're poll testing new lines of attack on fracking and Wall Street, to try to campaign negatively against Hillary Clinton throughout New York."