Reince Priebus: ‘[CNN and NBC] can do whatever they want to do, and I can do what I want to do’

By Alex Weprin 

RNC chairman Reince Priebus took to TV to explain the letters he sent to CNN and NBC threatening to exclude them from any potential 2016 primary debates if they don’t cancel programming they have planned about Hillary Clinton.

Priebus gave his first interview about the letters to Bloomberg TV at 4:45 PM yesterday, where he acknowledged that regardless of what happens, he wants to cut back on the number of debates for the next cycle.

“I am not dictating to them what to do, they can do whatever they want to do, and I can do what I want to do,” Priebus said “And what I want to do is let them know that if they are going to spend millions of dollars promoting a Democratic candidate, then we will just shut them out of our debates, and that’s ok, they can choose to do that.”

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Priebus also appeared yesterday evening on “Hannity,” where he noted that Democrats boycotted a Fox News debate in the 2008 cycle, as Slate’s David Weigel recalls here.

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