There seems to be some chatter about removing Debbie Wasserman Schultz as head of the DNC ahead of the general election. These kind of chatter campaigns are hard to interpret. They can be trial balloons, malicious rumors, chatter being churned up out of an internal fight. Who knows? Being head of the party committee, especially for a sitting member of Congress, is a pretty thankless task. Sanders supporters think she’s satan. I think reports of her satanhood are likely pretty overstated.
But that doesn’t matter.
As I’ve noted in other contexts, everything that isn’t about unifying the party to defeat Donald Trump is a distraction and one Democrats cannot afford. If tossing Wasserman Schultz would allow Sanders backers to feel their grievances were heard or addressed, great. Do it.
What I am quite sure about is that primary process has not been ‘rigged’ as the Sanders forces claim. As I’ve argued, to the extent they’re rigged, they’re rigged in Sanders favor!. Last night’s Washington state primary tells the story. Back in March Sanders got a huge morale boost and a minor delegate boost when he absolutely crushed Clinton in the state’s caucus. Last night, when the state held a primary Clinton scored a solid win. The difference is that a bit over 200,000 people participated in the caucus and well over 600,000 voted in the primary. Unfortunately for Clinton, the delegates were all awarded on the basis of the low turnout caucus. Caucuses should be abolished in every state. They’re just the best voter suppression method in politics today.
Sanders has been the top beneficiary of the anti-democratic parts of the nomination process. But that’s irrelevant. Both candidates played under the same rules.
The relevant point it’s not about being right. It’s not about anyone’s feelings. Hillary Clinton is going to be the Democratic nominee. She won fair and square. The only relevant issue is putting her in the oval office rather than Donald Trump.
Anything that gets in the way of that goal is a disaster for the Democrats. If there’s some background negotiation to replace Wasserman Schultz as part of reuniting the party, making Sanders supporters feel their grievances were heard, putting a new person in charge that both sides have confidence in, nothing should stand in the way of that.
