The decision by the DNC to suppress the public viewing regarding its internal post-election analysis on the 2024 election seems shocking yet entirely predictable. Averse to unpleasant candor, the DNC behaves closer to a PR firm than an electoral entity focused on building grassroots capacities capable of prevailing at the polls.
A Culture of Conformity
Hesitant to break with the prevailing attitude of conformity, the DNC has remained within the Biden-Harris shadow all through this past year. Making public an official autopsy could have demonstrated whether party leaders are interested to encourage honest conversation regarding the errors that enabled the former president to win re-election. Yet, the leadership is moving forward as if there is little to be learned from the tragic debacle from the last cycle.
The top priority: does this help us win? Should the answer be negative, it becomes a sideline issue from what truly matters," an explanation that has been offered to justify concealing the analysis.
Major Failures an Analysis Might Have Examined
Any valuable post-mortem of substance would tackle head-on certain uncomfortable matters. Among them are:
- Voter Disenchantment: The loss of a significant portion of the electorate that backed the Democratic ticket in 2020 became a critical factor during the tight recent race.
- The Decision to Seek Re-election: The stubborn choice by a party leader to seek re-election, and a very late exit, is viewed as denying Democratic voters of open primaries.
- Losing Touch With Everyday Americans: Amid rising costs, the campaign is criticized for accommodating elite contributors without successfully attempting to address the effects of corporate greed.
- A Gaza Factor: An unwillingness to shift an approach on a ongoing war is cited as alienating significant blocs, notably among young people, Arab-Americans, Muslim voters.
- A Decline in Young Voter Allegiance: Polling data demonstrates a significant decrease of Democratic support from the youth electorate.
A Record Avoiding Accountability
The decision to withhold is consistent with a longstanding habit of sidestepping hard truths. This mirrors a situation where nearly all Democratic officeholder in Washington acquiesced to a sitting president's decision for seeking another term right up until a disastrous televised debate led to a reversal.
Meanwhile, a significant majority of the electorate were continually telling researchers that they did not want that candidate to be the nominee.
Financial Concerns
An honest analysis could probe questions regarding where money went, including what sums flowed to insider consultants as well as ad buyers over the course of a campaign that managed to spend an enormous sum in a short period.
The Larger Issue
Fundamentally, the blockage surrounding this report highlights a deference to the existing power structure who engineered a losing national race. The signal for ordinary supporters – including countless loyal volunteers – appears to be that they cannot be trusted to see the lessons the leadership have learned based on a report based on conversations with insiders.
A political entity unable to publicly examine its own failings is unlikely to break free from the pattern that proved so advantageous to the rival party.