Democratic strategists are still patting themselves on the back for a catastrophic defeat.

  • toast
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    23 hours ago

    The DNC hasn’t had a real primary since 2008. That’s the real problem.

    • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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      22 hours ago

      Aw jeez, can we get off the cheap ‘primary’ diversion? If Mr Trump dies of congestive heart failure on day 207 from an astounding number of bic macs, you also don’t get a primary to choose the next American president OR HIS VP.

      • toast
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        22 hours ago

        It’s hardly a diversion. As stupid a choice as Trump is, he was still viewed by voters as their pick. While the Republican party is held hostage to the populist Trump and his supporters, the DNC won’t even let voters participate in the selection of candidates. Can you really say that Biden won a normal primary (coming from behind as other candidates strategically dropped out)? Would you say Harris was selected by voters at all? Did Clinton’s bailing out of the DNC in 2016 not register with you?

        I understand why voters haven’t been that excited about the Democrats for over a decade.

        • FanBlade@lemmynsfw.com
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          9 hours ago

          Ideologically similar candidates dropped out of a race and put their support behind someone ideologically similar when it became apparent that they were splitting support. Once they did that support of the voters coalesced behind Biden. Not sure why people think that’s so strange.

          • toast
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            9 hours ago

            Putting aside how primaries are really not like team sports, I think that you have to admit that it was the DNC (or, charitably, the candidates) that chose Biden to remain in the race, rather than the voters. My whole point is that voters have had little say in the DNC primaries. That is what is strange. Voters should drive candidate selection, rather than just “coalesce”.

              • toast
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                8 hours ago

                Ideologically similar candidates dropped out of a race and put their support behind someone ideologically similar when it became apparent that they were splitting support

                ie, like a team

                You brought up how the candidates seemed to view the contest in more of an us vs. them, or team competition, sort of way. This isn’t how primaries typically work. Primaries are typically contests of individuals. Sorry if that was unclear enough that I had to explain it to you.

                Anyway, the point is that the voters didn’t decide on Biden so much as Biden was decided for them.

                • FanBlade@lemmynsfw.com
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                  8 hours ago

                  Sorry that I keep posting and delete or edit. I think we’re talking past each other for whatever reason so it isn’t particularly useful to keep making arguments.

                  Our differences aside I hope you have a good day :)

            • FanBlade@lemmynsfw.com
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              8 hours ago

              Biden received nearly twice as many votes as Bernie. Before Buttigieg and Klobuchar dropped out Biden had received more votes than them combined. Seems like voters did choose.

    • FanBlade@lemmynsfw.com
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      22 hours ago

      Just because the person you want doesn’t win doesn’t invalidate the primaries.