The move from the Democratic National Committee to block the public viewing of its own post-election analysis on the last presidential race seems stunning however to be expected. Resistant to hard truths, the DNC operates more like a publicity machine rather than an electoral entity focused on cultivating grassroots capacities capable of prevailing at the polls.
A Culture That Avoids Dissent
Unwilling to depart from the party establishment's culture demanding unity, the DNC has continued under that legacy throughout this past year. Publishing an official autopsy could have demonstrated that the leadership truly desire to promote public discourse regarding the strategic failures that enabled the former president to become president again. Instead, the leadership is moving forward as if there's nothing to understand following the electoral catastrophe from the last cycle.
The top priority: does this help us win? Should the answer be negative, it’s a distraction from our fundamental goal," an explanation reportedly given to justify concealing the document.
Critical Problems an Autopsy Would Have Explored
A genuine analysis with any value would not dodge certain uncomfortable matters. These include:
- Electoral Alienation: Losing among millions of voters that backed the Democratic ticket during the previous election became a critical factor during the tight recent race.
- A Insistence to Seek Re-election: The unwavering choice by a party leader to seek re-election, alongside a last-minute exit, has been criticized as denying the party's base of a competitive nomination process.
- Failing the Working-Class Base: Amid rising costs, the electoral effort reportedly accommodating elite contributors without successfully attempting to address the impact of big business.
- A Foreign Policy Factor: The failure to shift a stance regarding a major international conflict is cited as alienating significant blocs, particularly among young people, Arab American communities, Muslim voters.
- A Decline in Youth Backing: Research demonstrates a major drop-off of support for the party among young voters.
A Record of Evasion
Choosing secrecy is consistent with a longstanding habit of evading uncomfortable facts. It echoes an episode in which virtually every Democratic officeholder in Washington supported a sitting president's decision for running for re-election right up until a catastrophic campaign event forced a change.
At the same time, overwhelming numbers within the party's base had been continually telling surveyors of their opposition to that candidate to seek re-election.
Financial Concerns
A substantive autopsy could examine matters about campaign spending, including how much money flowed to high-priced advisors and advertising contractors during a campaign that managed to spend an enormous amount in a short period.
A Larger Issue
Fundamentally, the secrecy surrounding this report highlights an allegiance toward the existing power structure responsible for an unsuccessful presidential campaign. The implication to rank-and-file members – including countless loyal volunteers – is that they cannot be trusted to understand the lessons the insiders have learned based on an analysis based on conversations with insiders.
A party incapable to publicly examine its own failings will struggle to escape the rut that ended up being so helpful to their opponents.
