O'Malley: Democrats would only benefit from a debate.

Presidential candidate Martin O'Malley, answering questions about what the controversy over Hillary Clinton's emails is doing to the Democratic Party, told reporters in Indianola on Saturday that having candidates debate would help the party.

"When we fail to have debates while the other party is having debates, we're getting pushed into this corner where we're branded by questions about emails and what Secretary Clinton knew and when she knew it," O'Malley said. "I think it's a great disservice to the party that we're not already having debates. It's truly not what the Republicans are doing to us at this point, it's what we're doing to ourselves."

The party has scheduled six debates, but the first is not until October, in Las Vegas. A debate is scheduled in Des Moines in November.

When asked whether there's something Clinton could do to help the party during an investigation of her use and retention of private email to conduct high-level government business, O'Malley defended Clinton, saying the FBI controls the course of the investigation.

"I'm sure she would like to have it behind her, but she's not the investigative authority here," O'Malley said. "We can't change that. What we can change is whether we have debates and whether we're talking about the issues we care about the most. None of us can control the pace... of this FBI investigation." . .

While campaigning in Iowa, O'Malley said, he has had plenty of chances to answer questions from potential caucusgoers in Iowa.

He said he's been particularly surprised by the number of questions about clean water, specifically rivers and streams.

"There's a growing mindfulness throughout our country," O'Malley said. "We have work to do."

During O'Malley's speech to the 50 people at the Indianola Public Library, he also mentioned he might add a "part two" to his college affordability plan. His current plan offers a debt-free college degree to everyone.

"We also have to do something about debt forgiveness and the restructuring of loans for people who are already trapped in them," O'Malley said.

He said his two daughters both "went away for the Harry-Potter-goes-to-Hogwarts experience of college." O'Malley said he's proud of them, but it's so expensive "their mother and I are going to be proud every month for the rest of our lives."

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2015/08/22/omalley-democrats-would-only-benefit-debate/32194479/