Martin O'Malley: Democrat party being defined by Hillary Clinton email scandal

During and interview with CNN, Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley said that his party is being defined by the Hillary Clinton email scandal.

"I believe that there are a lot of legitimate questions still to be answered about this particular controversy, the email, the email server, the FBI investigation and the like, which is why it's so important that as Democrats, we start having debates about other issues, as well. I'm not saying there aren't legitimate questions to be asked and answered here by Secretary Clinton and her lawyers.

"But for our part, as a party, we need to talk about the things that will actually get wages to go up rather than down, the issues that people care about around their kitchen tables, like affordable college and how we -- and how we make sure that Social Security is strong and is there for the future, how we move America forward to a clean energy future, how we step up in the world and respond to the refugee crisis in Syria. That's why we need to have debates. Otherwise, our party is being defined by Hillary Clinton's email scandal and it's not good for our party and it's not good for our country.

"I believe that the sort of leadership that actually moves a nation, moves a state, moves a city forward is leadership that states principles and doesn't wait from focus groups. On the Keystone Pipeline, Jake, I came out against the Keystone Pipeline over a year ago. Why? Because I believe it's contrary to our nation's best interests of moving forward to a clean energy future. That's what real leadership is about. That's the sort of new leadership people are looking for, not the sort of leadership that waits for poll numbers or for focus groups or puts a finger to the wind to see which way public consensus is going," O'Malley told CNN's Jake Tapper.