Citing scheduling conflicts, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders told CNN that he will not participate with other leading Democratic presidential candidates in the Human Rights Campaign’s LGBTQ-focused town hall, “Power of Our Pride,” to be broadcast on CNN on Thursday, Oct. 10, from 7 to 11:30 p.m.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will be the sole, strong representative from New England at the event.
It should be noted that Sanders also has a long record of supporting LGBTQ rights. Nevertheless, he joins Andrew Yang, also citing scheduling conflicts, as the two no-shows for the highly anticipated town hall.
According to CNN, the event, which coincides (by one day) with National Coming Out Day on Oct. 11, will be the largest audience for any Democratic presidential town hall devoted to LGBTQ issues.
To date, here’s the evening’s line-up:
- Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, by CNN’s Chris Cuomo at 9 p.m.
- South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, by Cuomo at 9:30 p.m.
- Businessman Tom Steyer to be interviewed by CNN’s Dana Bash at 7 p.m.
- New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker interviewed by Bash at 7:30 p.m.
- Former Vice President Joe Biden interviewed by CNN’s Anderson Cooper at 8 p.m.
- California Sen. Kamala Harris, by Cooper at 8:30 p.m.
- Former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, by CNN’s Don Lemon at 10 p.m.
- Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, by Lemon at 10:30 p.m.
- Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, by Cooper at 11 p.m.
Additional invites will go out to any others who meet qualifying criteria (2% in at least four national polls and DNC debate donor numbers of at least 130K individuals including at least 400 from at least 20 states) by Sept. 25.
“An HRC Foundation spokesperson said the audience will be comprised of invited guests, LGBTQ stakeholders and members of civic organizations. No public tickets will be available for the event, which will take place at The Novo [in Los Angeles],” says CNN.
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