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Bernie challenges Hillary to debate in Brooklyn!

Bernie challenges Hillary to debate in Brooklyn!
Associated Press / John Locher

Brooklyn won’t host the this year’s Democratic National Convention, but it could stage a Democratic debate!

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I–Vermont) on Saturday challenged fellow Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to a war of words on Kings County turf ahead of the New York presidential primary in April.

“Why won’t they debate in Brooklyn? What’s the matter with Brooklyn?” Sanders’ campaign manager Jeff Weaver said in a statement.

Both campaigns just agreed to add four more debates to their schedule — pending party approval — but are still negotiating over dates and locations. In its latest statement, Sanders’ camp laid out its terms: it will accept Clinton’s demand to wrangle in Flint, Mich. in March if the former secretary of state agrees to one in the borough of Kings the following month.

“We are pleased to do it on March 3 before the Michigan primary provided the Clinton campaign will agree to Brooklyn, New York, on April 14,” Weaver said.

Both parties boast solid Brooklyn bona fides.

Sanders was born and raised in Flatbush, attending PS 197 in Midwood and James Madison High School in Sheepshead Bay, as well as studying for a year at Brooklyn College, before making the inconceivable decision to leave the borough.

Clinton stationed her campaign headquarters in Brooklyn Heights — though reportedly hasn’t spent a lot of time there since creating this video of her walking the brownstone streets — and sometimes weighed in on borough issues during her time as a senator for New York — including slamming development in Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Clinton proved particularly popular with voters in waterfront neighborhoods and Park Slope — former Sloper Mayor DeBlasio is out door-knocking for her in Iowa this weekend — during her race for the 2008 nomination against President Obama.

Neither campaign responded immediately to requests for comment.

Reach deputy editor Ruth Brown at rbrown@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260–9309. Follow her at twitter.com/rbbrown.