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Trump, Other Frontrunners Threaten To Skip Debate At CU Because Of Format

BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - The already controversial Republican debate on Oct. 28 at the University of Colorado is now in jeopardy. Reports from several candidate camps said they would not participate because of a lack of guidance from the network broadcasting the event.

"This is kind of unprecedented. I've never seen a debate, which is only two weeks away, have this kind of controversy over the format; and yet it's almost symptomatic of this entire election season," said Dick Wadhams, a Republican political consultant based in Denver who is also a former Colorado Republican Party Chair.

Dick Wadhams
Dick Wadhams (credit: CBS)

On Thursday Donald Trump tweeted, "CNBC is pushing the GOP around by asking for extra time (and no criteria) in order to sell more commercials."

Reports from several campaigns say CNBC wouldn't say how long the debate would last, and didn't want to allow candidates opening or closing statements to give more time to debating critical issues.

"I've never seen anything like this. Candidates have to have a defined format and length because a lot of preparation goes into a debate. You prepare for hours and hours and you prepare given the format and the length of the debate." Wadhams said. "I do applaud CNBC for wanting a lot of give and take between the candidates. That's where you really get to know a candidate and see what they're made of."

Republican Candidates Take Part In Debates At Reagan Library In Simi Valley
Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Donald Trump take part in the presidential debates at the Reagan Library on September 16, 2015 in Simi Valley, California. (credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The debate had already come under scrutiny for only giving 100 tickets of the 1,000 to the school for faculty, staff and students. Coors Events Center holds 10,000 people.

"I think CNBC will look at the virtually unanimous of all the Republican candidates and say, 'You know we need to define the length of time, we need to have at least one or two statements where they can lay out their states for the candidacy," Wadhams said. "It's great to have a major national Republican debate in the middle of Colorado. I think that's great, so there's no downside for Colorado Republicans."

Jeff Todd joined the CBS4 team in 2011 covering the Western Slope in the Mountain Newsroom. Since 2015 he's been working across the Front Range in the Denver Headquarters. Follow him on Twitter @CBS4Jeff.

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