This action by the Democratic National Committee to block the publication of its internal autopsy report on the last presidential race is shocking however not surprising. Averse to frank assessments, the Democrats' governing body operates closer to a PR firm than a political organization committed to building a volunteer base to secure victories.
An Environment That Avoids Dissent
Reluctant to depart from the party establishment's culture demanding unity, the DNC has remained within the Biden-Harris shadow throughout this past year. Publishing the findings would have indicated that the leadership truly desire to encourage honest conversation regarding the missteps that enabled the former president to return to the White House. Yet, the committee is acting under the pretense that there's nothing to be learned from the stunning loss from the last cycle.
The top priority: does this help us win? If the answer is no, it is an unnecessary diversion from what truly matters," a justification that has been offered for withholding the document.
Key Issues an Autopsy Might Have Examined
A genuine analysis worth its salt would confront certain uncomfortable matters. This encompasses:
- Electoral Disengagement: Losing of millions of voters that backed the Democratic ticket during the previous election was decisive in the narrowly decided recent race.
- The Choice to Run: The determined decision of the incumbent to seek re-election, coupled with an extremely delayed step-aside, is viewed as denying the party's base the chance for open primaries.
- Failing Everyday Americans: During a time of inflation, the electoral effort reportedly accommodating elite contributors without successfully attempting to challenge the role of corporate greed.
- A Foreign Policy Factor: The failure to shift a stance concerning a major international conflict allegedly caused losing key demographic groups, particularly with young people, Arab-Americans, Muslim voters.
- Losing Youth Allegiance: Extensive evidence indicates a significant decrease in Democratic support from voters aged 18-29.
A History of Evasion
This refusal is consistent with a recurring tendency to avoid hard truths. It echoes a situation where the vast majority of Democratic officeholder in Washington went along with an incumbent's determination to running for re-election until a poor public debate performance led to an exit.
Meanwhile, large majorities of the electorate were consistently telling researchers that they opposed the incumbent to run again.
Campaign Spending Issues
A thorough autopsy might also investigate matters about financial allocations, including the amounts went to high-priced advisors and advertising contractors during a campaign which expended a staggering war chest during the general election.
A Larger Issue
At its core, the blockage of the official autopsy highlights a submission to party leaders who engineered a disastrous national race. The message for ordinary supporters – which includes countless loyal volunteers – appears to be that they do not have a right to see what the insiders claim to have learned based on an analysis compiled from feedback from all states.
An organization incapable to honestly assess where it went wrong will struggle to break free from the cycle that ended up being so advantageous to the rival party.
