DNC Blocks Release of Critical 2024 Election Autopsy Report
The Democratic National Committee (DNC) reportedly blocked the release of its 2024 election autopsy report, describing it as too candidly critical for public consumption. DNC chair Ken Martin announced in December that the report would be withheld, framing its release as a distraction from efforts to focus on winning future elections.
The draft autopsy involved hundreds of interviews across all 50 states and reportedly avoided blaming President Joe Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris directly. However, the piece criticized Harris's role as the keynote speaker at the DNC’s 450-member semi-annual meeting and questioned her responses concerning Biden’s fitness to run. The report was to examine spending on insiders and campaign advertising, noting that Harris's campaign spent about $1.5 billion over 107 days.
It was also expected to assess Harris’s policy regarding Israel and Gaza, including arms shipments. The analysis suggested that public support might have shifted if there had been calls for an arms embargo.
In response to the withheld report, the progressive group RootsAction released its own autopsy authored by Christopher D. Cook. This alternative analysis highlighted 6.8 million Biden 2020 voters who did not vote for him in 2024, Harris’s failure to mobilize pro-Biden voters, Biden’s late decision to run, erosion of the working-class base, the impact of Gaza policy, and a significant loss of young voters.
A DNC member cited in the report indicated that the decision to block the autopsy was intended to shield those responsible for the party’s missteps. Ken Martin reportedly lacks support from key senior figures such as Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Majority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, indicating potential fears of internal revolt within the party leadership.
