Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) reflects on Democrats’ losses in the 2024 election after sending a memo calling on his party to “embrace a more populist message.”
I agree that what they did is ridiculous. The macro story should be that the two major parties rig their primary processes in order to sideline potential challengers to the machine apparatus.
The takeaway is you have little to no ability to influence the national candidate selection unless you’re a major player in an early primary/caucus state or you’re a billionaire PAC donor.
Even if they had a “real” primary the DNC would’ve cooked it so Kamala (or whoever the DNC elites picked) got the nod. The Obamas, Clintons, Pelosi, Bloomberg etc. already made the decision at that point and what you or I wanted was never a factor.
I agree that a primary probably still ends up with Kamala and would probably just be the illusion of choice. The DNC would close ranks around her in the name of Biden’s legacy, just like they did for Biden back in 2020 when the vote was splitting in Bernie’s favor, and in 2016 when it was obvious they just wanted to coronate Hillary and move on.
That said, even with a rigged primary, putting your candidate on the debate stage to address your constituents instead of skipping directly to fellating non-existent centrists in the general would have been good.
I agree that what they did is ridiculous. The macro story should be that the two major parties rig their primary processes in order to sideline potential challengers to the machine apparatus.
The takeaway is you have little to no ability to influence the national candidate selection unless you’re a major player in an early primary/caucus state or you’re a billionaire PAC donor.
Even if they had a “real” primary the DNC would’ve cooked it so Kamala (or whoever the DNC elites picked) got the nod. The Obamas, Clintons, Pelosi, Bloomberg etc. already made the decision at that point and what you or I wanted was never a factor.
I agree that a primary probably still ends up with Kamala and would probably just be the illusion of choice. The DNC would close ranks around her in the name of Biden’s legacy, just like they did for Biden back in 2020 when the vote was splitting in Bernie’s favor, and in 2016 when it was obvious they just wanted to coronate Hillary and move on.
That said, even with a rigged primary, putting your candidate on the debate stage to address your constituents instead of skipping directly to fellating non-existent centrists in the general would have been good.