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The move from the DNC to suppress the public viewing regarding its own autopsy report on the last presidential race appears remarkable however not surprising. Opposed to hard truths, the DNC behaves more like a communications shop rather than a political organization committed to cultivating a volunteer base to secure victories.

A Climate of Conformity

Reluctant to challenge the party establishment's culture of conformity, the committee has stayed within the Biden-Harris shadow throughout this past year. Making public an official autopsy might have shown that party leaders actually want to encourage open debate about the missteps that paved the way for the former president to return to the White House. However, the DNC is proceeding as if there is little to be learned from the electoral catastrophe from the last cycle.

"Here’s our North Star: will this lead to victory? If not, it’s a distraction from our fundamental goal," a justification that has been offered for withholding the analysis.

Major Failures a Report Could Have Explored

A genuine analysis with any value would not dodge certain uncomfortable matters. These include:

• Electoral Disenchantment: Losing among a significant portion of the electorate who supported the party's candidate during the previous election proved pivotal in the close 2024 election.
• The Decision to Run: The stubborn decision by a party leader to run again, alongside a last-minute step-aside, has been criticized as denying the party's base the chance for open primaries.
• Losing Touch With Core Democratic Voters: Amid economic anxiety, the electoral effort is criticized for accommodating corporate donors' interests while failing to confront the impact of corporate greed.
• The Gaza Effect: An unwillingness to adjust a stance concerning the situation in Gaza is cited as driving away many voters, especially among youth voters, Arab American communities, and Muslim Americans.
• A Decline in Youth Support: Extensive evidence demonstrates a major decrease in Democratic support from young voters.

A Record Avoiding Accountability

The decision to withhold fits a pattern of sidestepping uncomfortable facts. It echoes an episode where the vast majority of Democratic officeholder in Washington acquiesced to an incumbent's insistence on seeking another term until a catastrophic campaign event led to an exit.

At the same time, large majorities of the electorate were consistently telling pollsters that they did not want that candidate to be the nominee.

Financial Concerns

A substantive analysis could examine questions regarding campaign spending, such as how much money flowed to insider consultants and media firms over the course of an electoral effort that burned through a staggering amount over a few months.

A Underlying Implication

Fundamentally, the suppression of the official autopsy points to a deference to the existing power structure that oversaw a disastrous presidential campaign. The implication to ordinary supporters – which includes countless dedicated activists – appears to be that they do not be trusted to know the lessons party chiefs have learned based on hundreds of interviews drawing from extensive interviews.

A political entity unable to publicly examine its mistakes will struggle to break free from the pattern that proved so beneficial to the rival party.