An unpopular opinion but one I stand by. Black voters will likely continue to back Joe Biden despite his egregious Jim Crow misstep. Why? They are pragmatic, not puritanical. This is a lesson for purity test Democrats who will turn on each other and let the Trump jackals feast.
Unlike many white Democratic voters who feel free to indulge in purity tests as they search for a perfect candidate, Black America is pragmatic. To that end, black voters know that removing Donald Trump is the most important goal, much larger than any narrow set of interests. Like any other group, however, black voters are not a hive mind. As Hillary Clinton learned in 2016, black folks' enthusiasm for a given candidate is not fixed. Biden should learn that lesson early, rather than taking the support of black voters for granted and regretting such an error in political calculus later on.
It is still very early in the 2020 presidential race. This week's Democratic debates in Miami offer an opportunity for the candidates to educate the public about their proposals. During these early debates candidates with low name recognition will snipe at Biden, Warren and Sanders. Biden will fight off the latter two candidates in order to maintain the air of inevitability which surrounds his candidacy.
As the Democratic field gradually sheds its bloat and a nominee is selected, Democrats — the leaders, their media, activists, and the rank-and-file — should not lose focus on their real enemy. Donald Trump and the Republican Party are united in service of fascism. Trump's voters enthusiastically support him. Today's conservative movement is a fundamentalist political religion. Its members want nothing more than total victory over the Democrats, and seek to demolish anyone who dissents from their radically backward, anti-intellectual, quasi-theocratic, racist, sexist, plutocratic and anti-democracy agenda. If the Democrats succumb to factionalism Donald Trump will win again in 2020 — and do so easily.
-Chauncey Devaga
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