One thing that's been very clear this past week is that most of those writing & pontificating about Biden's future as the party's nominee have a little to no experience in state and local Democratic Party activities. A brief 🧵:
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First, support for Biden among the grassroots is still strong, especially among Black Democrats. Most of our African-American party faithful - especially the older folks who show up & vote every time - watched Biden defer to & support Obama, see him setting up Harris to be the future nominee.
Do not underestimate the power & significance of this dynamic. There is a strong loyalty there & a recognition that Biden has Black voters' backs. See, ie, targeted student debt relief & the significant funding he has directed to HBCUs.
The only way this conceivably works is that Biden, himself, withdraws, and in Harris' favor--unlike the way LBJ played it IIRC. What leads up to Joe going 'voluntarily,' I dunno.
Second, a lot of folks clearly do not understand the mechanics of party politics and the logistical challenges that would be involved with making changes. Our county and state party conventions were months ago. We have already chosen electors and delegates for the DNC.
Those meetings won't happen again. They require funding, people traveling on their own dime again, and a whole host of other issues. Could the state executive committee ask the electors and delegates to vote differently? Maybe, but each organization has bylaws that have to be followed.
Third, the idea that we could easily hold a new set of primaries is absurd. Printing ballots & organizing a primary cost money. Collecting signatures to get names on those ballots is necessary. Election dates are selected & announced far in advance because our public notice laws require it.
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