Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders is calling for early presidential candidate debates — possibly this summer — to flesh out opinions and stimulate voter interest.
In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Sanders said early debates will highlight policy differences and help voters understand candidates' positions.
Sanders, an independent, last week officially declared his candidacy, taking on Hillary Rodham Clinton for the Democratic nomination. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley entered the Democratic race on Saturday
Sanders said Sunday he would like to see early debates involve Republican candidates as well. He said he hopes debates could begin as early as July, saying "we need a lot more debates in this campaign."
