This decision by the Democratic National Committee to suppress the publication of its internal post-election analysis concerning the last presidential race is shocking yet entirely predictable. Averse to frank assessments, the Democrats' governing body often functions more like a PR firm than an electoral entity focused on cultivating a volunteer base to secure victories.
A Climate Resistant to Internal Critique
Reluctant to break with the party establishment's culture demanding unity, the DNC has stayed within that legacy throughout this past year. Publishing the findings would have indicated whether the leadership are interested to promote open debate about the missteps that paved the way for the former president to return to the White House. Instead, the leadership is moving forward under the pretense that there are no lessons to glean from the stunning loss from the last cycle.
"Here’s our North Star: will this lead to victory? Should the answer be negative, it’s a distraction from the core mission," a rationale which was presented for withholding the report.
Major Failures an Autopsy Might Have Examined
An autopsy report worth its salt would tackle head-on key points of failure. These include:
- Voter Disengagement: Failing to retain of a significant portion of the electorate who supported the party's candidate during the previous election was decisive during the tight recent race.
- The Decision to Seek Re-election: The unwavering decision by the incumbent to seek re-election, and a very late step-aside, is seen by some as denying Democratic voters of open primaries.
- Losing Touch With Core Democratic Voters: Amid rising costs, the electoral effort reportedly bowing to powerful financial backers while failing to challenge the role of profit-seeking.
- The Foreign Policy Impact: An unwillingness to reconsider a policy position regarding a ongoing war allegedly caused alienating many voters, particularly among youth voters, Arab-Americans, Muslim voters.
- A Decline in Young Voter Support: Polling data indicates a significant decline of Democratic support from voters aged 18-29.
A Record of Evasion
This refusal aligns with a recurring tendency of evading difficult realities. It recalls an episode where nearly all elected Democrat in Washington acquiesced to a sitting president's determination to running for re-election until a disastrous televised debate led to a reversal.
At the same time, overwhelming numbers of the electorate were continually telling surveyors of their opposition to that candidate to run again.
Financial Issues
A substantive report could probe issues about financial allocations, including the amounts flowed to insider consultants as well as media firms over the course of a campaign that managed to spend a staggering amount in a short period.
A Larger Implication
At its core, the secrecy surrounding this report points to a deference to party leaders who engineered a losing electoral effort. The implication to rank-and-file members – which includes countless loyal volunteers – is that they do not have a right to know what the insiders have learned from a report drawing from extensive interviews.
A party incapable to publicly examine its own failings will struggle to break free from the pattern that ended up being so advantageous to their opponents.
