Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard is saying that she will not take part in the next Democratic primary debate on December 19th, even if she qualifies according to DNC rules. It’s difficult to know exactly why she is doing this.
Is it possible that she feels her work is done now that Kamala Harris has dropped out of the race?
Joseph A. Wulfsohn reports at FOX News:
Tulsi Gabbard opts out of next Dem debate as poll deadline loomsRep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, announced late Monday that she won’t be attending the Democrats’ next debate “regardless” of whether she qualifies.Gabbard, who previously flirted with the idea of skipping an earlier debate, appeared more assertive about bowing out of the upcoming debate being hosted by PBS and Politico on Dec. 19.”For a number of reasons, I have decided not to attend the December 19th ‘debate’ — regardless of whether or not there are qualifying polls,” Gabbard tweeted. “I instead choose to spend that precious time directly meeting with and hearing from the people of New Hampshire and South Carolina.”Gabbard had met the donor requirement to qualify for the December debate but had yet to meet a requirement that she earn 4-percent support in at least four national or early-state polls approved by the Democratic National Committee [DNC] — or hit 6 percent in two approved early-state polls. The cutoff date: Dec. 12.
Amy Russo of the HuffPost has more:
To be invited, candidates must have 200,000 unique donor contributions, and meet one of two polling requirements ― four polls at a minimum of 4% in national surveys or in the early nominating states of Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina, or two polls at a minimum of 6% in those states.Gabbard has enough donors, but is still in need of one more poll in either category. The deadline is Thursday.The congresswoman’s apparent skepticism of the debate is par for the course as she has repeatedly complained about the electoral process, claiming it is rigged against her campaign. In October, she threatened to skip the fourth debate, criticizing the use of “polling and other arbitrary methods” as qualifying measures while accusing “corporate media” of attempting to “hijack” the 2020 election. Reversing course, she decided to show up at the debate days later.
YouTuber Tim Pool has been an outspoken supporter of Gabbard and offered this explanation on Twitter:
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