This action by the Democratic National Committee to withhold the release regarding its internal autopsy report on the last presidential race is shocking however not surprising. Resistant to hard truths, the DNC operates closer to a communications shop than an electoral entity devoted to cultivating local power capable of prevailing at the polls.
An Environment of Conformity
Unwilling to break with the prevailing attitude of conformity, the DNC has remained within that legacy throughout this past year. Releasing an official autopsy could have demonstrated whether the leadership truly desire to encourage honest conversation about the strategic failures which allowed the former president to become president again. Yet, the DNC is proceeding under the pretense that there is little to be learned from the stunning loss from the last cycle.
Our guiding principle: will this lead to victory? If the answer is no, it’s a distraction from what truly matters," a justification which was presented to justify concealing the document.
Major Failures a Report Would Have Explored
A genuine analysis worth its salt would tackle head-on certain uncomfortable matters. This encompasses:
- Electoral Disengagement: Failing to retain among a significant portion of the electorate who voted for the party's candidate during the previous election proved pivotal during the tight recent race.
- The Decision to Run: The determined decision by the incumbent to stay in the race, coupled with a last-minute exit, is seen by some as denying the party's base the chance for a competitive nomination process.
- Failing Everyday Americans: Amid economic anxiety, the campaign allegedly bowing to powerful financial backers and not managing to challenge the impact of big business.
- A Gaza Factor: The failure to reconsider an approach regarding a major international conflict is cited as alienating many voters, especially among youth voters, Arab-Americans, Muslim voters.
- Losing Young Voter Backing: Research demonstrates a major decline of support for the party from voters aged 18-29.
A Record Shunning Scrutiny
The decision to withhold fits a longstanding habit of sidestepping hard truths. It echoes a situation in which the vast majority of Democratic officeholder in Congress supported an incumbent's decision for seeking another term right up until a disastrous campaign event forced a reversal.
Concurrently, overwhelming numbers of Democratic voters had been consistently telling pollsters that they did not want that candidate to run again.
Financial Issues
A thorough analysis might also probe questions regarding campaign spending, including what sums went to party strategists and ad buyers during a campaign which expended a colossal amount during the general election.
A Underlying Problem
At its core, the secrecy surrounding this report points to an allegiance to party leaders responsible for a disastrous electoral effort. The signal for rank-and-file members – which includes countless loyal volunteers – is that they do not have a right to know what party chiefs claim to have learned based on hundreds of interviews based on conversations with insiders.
An organization unwilling to honestly assess its mistakes is unlikely to climb out of the cycle that ended up being so beneficial to the rival party.
