In a private conference call with supporters, Clinton campaign chair John Podesta, communications director Jennifer Palmieri and other senior staffers struggled to explain how their well-oiled campaign machine ultimately failed.
Voter suppression, Comey, media bothsiderism, and the media banging away at Clinton emails, (State Dept. and Wikileaks), and, in comparison, ignoring Trump's many scandals all played a part, but honest self-examination would indicate that the DNC is a troglodyte and needs an overhaul starting at the top.
When African-Americans in Louisiana, who turned out in lower numbers than previous elections, were asked why, their response was that neither Clinton nor Kaine were a presence in the state, so they felt the two didn't care about Louisiana.
Local Democrats worked hard and did their best, but they received scant support from national Democratic organizations such as the DNC, the DSC, and the DCCC. Even if blacks had voted in higher numbers, Trump would probably have won the electoral votes in the state, but that does not negate the fact that Democrats, win or lose, need an ongoing 50-state strategy, starting now. A political party that wants to be a national party does not have the liberty to write off even deeply red states. To build a national party, Democrats must have a presence in every state, as Howard Dean told us over and over and tried to do when he was head of the DNC. Alas, he was thrown out for a scream.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
Correction: Howard Dean offered his resignation as Chairman of the DNC after Barack Obama was elected in 2008, because the president traditionally appoints the DNC chair, not because of the scream. In 2004, Dean was a candidate for president. The scream was an attempt to rally his supporters after his loss of the Iowa caucus that he had expected to win. Wide media coverage of the scream was followed by loss of support from party insiders, and John Kerry ultimately became the Democratic nominee.
Funny thing -- When I read the lede, I was ready to post "How about Howard Dean?" Naturally, you beat me to it.
ReplyDeleteBut I would quibble about one point: The Scream actually got him thrown out of the primary race. THen, after the Good Guys (not a TM) lost, he was made chairman of the DNC, and as you note, adopted the 50-state strategy. And in 2006 we won both houses of Congress.
And the day after that, the party commissariat (e.g., Begala) said he ought to resign because he didn't carry Mars and the North Star, or something.
Then in '08, when we did win, he of course resigned so that the new President could appoint his own guy, which he did with the most perfunctory thanks to Dean that he, being a polite fellow, could achieve. (Yes, I still hold a grudge against Obama for making no effort to reform the goddam party hierarchy when he had the power to do whatever he wanted -- within the party, that is. Otherwise, a historically above average President, of course)
So now I'll do what I did at the start of 2005, standing by the mailbox waiting for that DNC fund-raising mailer with Dean's name on the front, and then getting the checkbook to write my first check to the Party in years --same as in 2005. The DSCC and DCCC, of course, need to send me solicitations with photographs of Satan in a thick down jacket. (*)
(*) Yes, I've read the Inferno, and I know Satan is imbedded in ice in the first place. What I mean is when Hell *completely* freezes over.
We sure have got work to do!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes from Maryland.
I love you, Mimi, but I believe that
ReplyDelete"honest self-examination would indicate that the DNC is a troglodyte"
smacks of the Democratic tendency to form circular firing squads.
BEGIN w/ the knowledge that Hillary received a higher PERCENTAGE of the popular vote over Trump, than Gore did over Bush. We have to understand what DID work for the Clinton campaign, before we set about to the (essential) task of fixing what didn't (for subsequent Democrats, including in Off-off year votes, as early as 2017)
But FIRST, we need to grieve...and clear our heads (a walk in the woods w/ the dogs, ala Hillary&Bill did, is one excellent example!). Those of us w/ faith, ask for our Higher Power's guidance. Be kind to one and other (recognizing that everyone's grief will take slightly different forms).
THEN undertake the task of reforms.
"All will be well, and all will be well, and All Manner of Things Will Be Well"
JCF, I've been disenchanted with the national Democratic organizations for years. When I want to support a candidate, I always send the donation directly to their campaign, not to the national organizations. I stand by what I said. Democrats need a 50 state strategy, and the leadership in the national organizations refuse to implement such a policy.
DeleteI've done my share of grieving, and I'm not finished yet. God does not vote. God expects her people to do what is right. All is not well now, and we need to figure out what went wrong and how Democratic Party strategies need to change.
One more thing: if you didn't see this, Mimi, don't miss it (be warned, I think Sam drops an F-bomb in there. Late night cable. The night before the election, I mean, destruction)
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6zf5VkuiEQ "Let Hillary Be Hillary | Full Frontal with Samantha Bee | TBS"
I will never, EVER regret having been With Her.
But of course, NEVER read the YT comments. Ugh...
DeleteI don't mind fuck, and I've been meaning to watch SB's video. I don't regret at all that I was with her.
Delete