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The move by the DNC to withhold the release of its internal autopsy report concerning the last presidential race appears stunning however entirely predictable. Resistant to unpleasant candor, the Democrats' governing body behaves closer to a PR firm than an electoral entity devoted to building local power to secure victories.

A Climate That Avoids Dissent

Unwilling to break with the party establishment's culture demanding unity, the committee has remained under the Biden-Harris shadow all through this past year. Publishing the findings might have shown whether party leaders are interested to promote public discourse about the strategic failures which allowed the former president to win re-election. Yet, the committee is acting as if there is little to understand from the tragic debacle from the last cycle.

Our guiding principle: does this help us win? If the answer is no, it is an unnecessary diversion from the core mission," an explanation reportedly given for withholding the document.

Major Failures an Autopsy Could Have Explored

An autopsy report with any value would not dodge certain uncomfortable matters. Among them are:

• Electoral Disengagement: The loss of a significant portion of the electorate who voted for the Democratic ticket in 2020 proved pivotal in the narrowly decided recent race.
• The Choice to Run: The stubborn insistence by the incumbent to run again, coupled with a last-minute step-aside, is seen by some as robbing the party's base the chance for a competitive nomination process.
• Failing Everyday Americans: Amid economic anxiety, the electoral effort reportedly ceding to powerful financial backers while failing to challenge the effects of big business.
• A Gaza Impact: The failure to reconsider a policy position concerning the situation in Gaza is cited as losing key demographic groups, particularly with young people, Arab-Americans, Muslim voters.
• Losing Young Voter Allegiance: Extensive evidence shows a significant drop-off of votes for the candidate among voters aged 18-29.

A Record Shunning Scrutiny

This refusal fits a longstanding habit of evading hard truths. This mirrors an episode where virtually every Democratic officeholder in Congress supported a sitting president's determination to running for re-election right up until a catastrophic public debate performance compelled a change.

Meanwhile, overwhelming numbers within the party's base had been continually telling pollsters that they opposed that candidate to be the nominee.

Campaign Spending Concerns

A thorough analysis could investigate questions regarding campaign spending, such as how much money flowed to party strategists and media firms during a campaign which expended an enormous amount in a short period.

A Broader Issue

Ultimately, the blockage of the official autopsy points to a submission toward party leaders responsible for a losing presidential campaign. The signal for the party's base – including countless dedicated activists – appears to be that they cannot be trusted to see what party chiefs claim to have learned based on an analysis based on conversations with insiders.

A political entity unable to honestly assess where it went wrong finds it difficult to break free from the cycle which was so helpful to the winning candidate.