How it works on paper and how it works in reality are two different concepts.
Yes, the Party can nominate whoever it wants by fiat, but… do their own self-established rules (which they do follow) allow them to do that? Do you really think that’s how it works in reality?
This is like saying “the NFL is a private organisation and can declare any team they want to be the winner of the Super Bowl without paying attention to the result of the games”. Yes, that’s technically legally true but that’s not how it actually works in reality.
I’m not suggesting the party nominates a candidate by fiat, that would be a ridiculous PR blunder. I’m saying they achieve that same outcome, but by a thousand slightly more subtle means.
For just one example, when I was volunteering for local progressive candidates, they all struggled to find vendors to print their flyers, signs, etc. Why? Because the Democratic Party has a policy that any vendor who works with a primary challenger will be banned from future business with the party. This policy has been shown to be selectively applied to progressive challengers.
But it certainly happens at the top level too. Look at how Debbie Wasserman Schultz, then chair of the Democratic party, changed the rules multiple times to explicitly benefit Hillary over Bernie in 2016. Or how, in 2020 after Bernie won Iowa, all of the centrist candidates dropped out and endorsed Biden.
How it works on paper and how it works in reality are two different concepts.
Yes, the Party can nominate whoever it wants by fiat, but… do their own self-established rules (which they do follow) allow them to do that? Do you really think that’s how it works in reality?
This is like saying “the NFL is a private organisation and can declare any team they want to be the winner of the Super Bowl without paying attention to the result of the games”. Yes, that’s technically legally true but that’s not how it actually works in reality.
I’m not suggesting the party nominates a candidate by fiat, that would be a ridiculous PR blunder. I’m saying they achieve that same outcome, but by a thousand slightly more subtle means.
For just one example, when I was volunteering for local progressive candidates, they all struggled to find vendors to print their flyers, signs, etc. Why? Because the Democratic Party has a policy that any vendor who works with a primary challenger will be banned from future business with the party. This policy has been shown to be selectively applied to progressive challengers.
But it certainly happens at the top level too. Look at how Debbie Wasserman Schultz, then chair of the Democratic party, changed the rules multiple times to explicitly benefit Hillary over Bernie in 2016. Or how, in 2020 after Bernie won Iowa, all of the centrist candidates dropped out and endorsed Biden.