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The decision from the DNC to suppress the public viewing regarding its own autopsy report concerning the last presidential race is shocking however not surprising. Averse to unpleasant candor, the DNC often functions closer to a communications shop than a political organization committed to building a volunteer base for winning elections.

A Culture of Conformity

Hesitant to break with the prevailing attitude of conformity, the committee has continued under the influence of the previous administration all through this past year. Releasing an official autopsy would have indicated whether party leaders truly desire to promote open debate about the missteps which allowed Donald Trump to return to the White House. However, the leadership is moving forward as if there is little to glean following the stunning loss of 2024.

"Here’s our North Star: will this lead to victory? If the answer is no, it is an unnecessary diversion from the core mission," a justification reportedly given for withholding the report.

Major Failures a Report Might Have Addressed

Any valuable post-mortem worth its salt would confront a series of difficult topics. Among them are:

• Electoral Alienation: The loss of a significant portion of the electorate who supported the party's candidate in 2020 became a critical factor in the narrowly decided recent race.
• A Choice to Run: The unwavering insistence by the incumbent to seek re-election, and a last-minute step-aside, has been criticized as denying Democratic voters of a genuine choice.
• Abandoning the Working-Class Base: Amid economic anxiety, the electoral effort is criticized for accommodating corporate donors' interests and not managing to address the effects of corporate greed.
• The Gaza Factor: The failure to shift a policy position regarding a ongoing war allegedly caused losing many voters, particularly with youth voters, Arab American communities, and Muslim Americans.
• Losing Youth Allegiance: Polling data indicates a significant decline of Democratic support among voters aged 18-29.

A Record of Evasion

The decision to withhold aligns with a pattern of evading hard truths. It recalls an episode where the vast majority of elected Democrat in Washington went along with a sitting president's decision for running for re-election until a poor campaign event forced a change.

At the same time, large majorities of Democratic voters had been repeatedly informing pollsters of their opposition to that candidate to run again.

Campaign Spending Issues

An honest report might also investigate questions regarding campaign spending, such as how much money flowed to party strategists and advertising contractors over the course of an electoral effort that managed to spend an enormous war chest during the general election.

A Underlying Issue

Fundamentally, the suppression surrounding this report points to a submission to the existing power structure that oversaw a losing electoral effort. The implication to rank-and-file members – which includes countless small donors – appears to be that they cannot have a right to see what the insiders have learned from hundreds of interviews compiled from extensive interviews.

A political entity unable to honestly assess its own failings finds it difficult to break free from the rut which was so beneficial to the rival party.