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The first Democratic presidential debate of 2016 sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute should have fully addressed all of the important issues that impact the African American community.

According the Roland Martin and his panel of guests, it would seem as though the Democratic presidential candidates as well as the Democratic National Committee are missing a few of the pressing topics affecting the Black community today.

On Monday, Martin and the NewsOne Now panel featuring Lauren Victoria Burke, Managing Editor of Politic365.com, Ralph Chittams, Senior Vice Chairman of the DC Republican Party, Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever, President or the Exceptional Leadership Institute for Women and Eddie Glaude, Jr., author of Democracy in Black: How Race Still Enslaves the American Soul recapped Sunday night’s Democratic debate where they questioned if our issues are being properly addressed by not only the candidates but the Democratic National Committee.

Though the candidates did take the opportunity to touch upon certain issues that matter to African Americans, Martin, Host of NewsOne Now said, “Overall we heard some questions that we haven’t heard beforehand, I still felt there could have been a bit more depth” in what was discussed during the debate.

When the candidates were addressing domestic terrorism, the Mother Emanuel AME church shooting was not included in the discussion.

NewsOne Now panelist, Avis Jones-DeWeever explained, “The needs and the issues relating specifically to Black women were totally ignored in this particular debate.”

DeWeever took special issue with the response from Sen. Bernie Sanders as it related to the Mother Emanuel AME shooting that claimed the lives of nine. She said, “Bernie Sanders reaction was that this was some crazed man — No it wasn’t some crazed man — that was a domestic terrorist that specifically targeted Black people.”

“That was a hate crime,” Jones-DeWeever said.

“I’m just disturbed — you could expect [Gov.] Nikki Haley to sort of gloss over that but, I would expect that in the Democratic Party, at least there would be some frontal examination of the fact that this was a hate crime and this is an example of the depth that is associated with racism in America.”

Ralph Chittams said, “Our current president has been criticized for not addressing Black issues in a way that the Black community wants them to be addressed — well if he’s not going to do it why should we expect three White people to do it.”

He added the debate may have been sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus Institute “but they were playing to a much bigger audience and unfortunately they know that they can take the votes from our community pretty much for granted — so they don’t have to address the issues in the way that we want them addressed or the way that they should be addressed.”

Watch Roland Martin and the NewsOne Now panel recap the first Democratic presidential debate of 2016 in the video clip above.

TV One’s NewsOne Now has moved to 7 A.M. ET, be sure to watch “NewsOne Now” with Roland Martin, in its new time slot on TV One.

Subscribe to the “NewsOne Now” Audio Podcast on iTunes.

SEE ALSO: 

President Obama’s Remarks About HBCUs Spark Controversy

NewsOne Now Democratic Presidential Debate Recap: Are All Of Our Issues Being Fully Addressed?  was originally published on newsone.com

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