It was one of those questions that a thoughtful person just doesn’t ask. That’s precisely why Jonathan Capehart asked it.

Capehart, the Washington Post journalist who co-moderated the candidates’ debate at the Democratic National Committee’s annual meeting at Georgetown University on Friday, asked for a show of hands to the following question: “How many of you believe that racism and misogyny played a role in Kamala Harris defeat?”

At DNC Leadership Forum, virtually everyone on stage raises their hand and agrees that “racism and misogyny played a role in VP Harris’ defeat.” pic.twitter.com/TerDGXlY32

— TheBlaze (@theblaze) January 31, 2025

All eight candidates raised their hands. One of them raised both hands. “That’s good,” said a laughing Capehart in response. “You all pass.”

So, to “pass,” these candidates for DNC vice chair must focus not on the glaring weaknesses of the Democrat Party but instead on blaming others — in this case, the American people.

Think about it: The people vying to help shape the direction of this rudderless political party — a party whose current approval rating of 31% is, according to a recent Quinnipiac poll, the worst number the poll has produced for the Democrats since Quinnipiac began asking the question — still don’t get it. After four awful years of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, they think the American people kicked Harris to the curb because they’re a bunch of racists and woman-haters.

This same poll shows that Donald Trump’s approval rating is 10 points higher than when he began his first presidential term and that people are more confident in their future now that Trump is in office. Why might that be? Because they think racism and misogyny are making a comeback, or because they think America is making a comeback?

A far more interesting and illuminating question from Capehart would’ve been something like, “How many of you believe that the Democrat Party is in the right place politically with its policies on DEI, crime, immigration, and transgenderism?”

Of course, such a question would’ve required some introspection — a trait that’s clearly in short supply among Democrats these days. Which is great news for the Republicans. Because it means that the Democrats aren’t serious about winning back the American people and winning elections.

In this way, the Democrats are like that unattractive, unathletic, uninteresting dude who just can’t seem to find a date. But instead of taking stock of his own limitations, he simply decides that all the girls he’s approached must be lesbians.

Upon seeing this exchange, one Democrat campaign vet texted journo David Weigel, who used to work with Capehart at the Post, the following grim assessment: “That forum. We’re cooked.”

It’s hard to argue with that assessment — although it’s not just the forum. Lest you think Capehart’s question was an anomaly, get a load of how outgoing DNC Chair Jaime Harrison, who wisely chose not to seek another term, tried to explain the party’s “rules of inclusion” for its officer elections.

DNC SPOKESMAN: With the result of the previous 4 elections, the results are 2 male, 2 female. But to be gender-balanced, we MUST elect one male, one female, and one person of any gender. The process must be inclusive. @BehizyTweets pic.twitter.com/Aj2OfnUqBT

— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 1, 2025

“In order to be gender-balanced, we must … uh, we must elect, uhh, one male, one female, and one person of any gender. … To ensure our process accounts for male, female, and nonbinary candidates, we conferred with our [Rules and Bylaws Committee] co-chair, our LGBT Caucus co-chair, and others so that the process is inclusive and meets the gender-balance requirements in our rules.”

Yeesh. No wonder Harrison isn’t seeking another term.

Ken Martin of solidly blue Minnesota will replace Harrison, and the 51-year-old Midwestern white guy won the post on the first ballot. Maybe Democrats aren’t serious about race and sex after all. He stressed being on “one team” and having “one fight” — the one “against Donald Trump and the billionaires who bought this country.” So, it’s not just race but class that will continue to drive Democrats. Hypocrisy, too, given that more billionaires supported Kamala Harris than Donald Trump.

Also, consider the Democrats’ election of young David Hogg to one of those DNC vice chairmanships. Hogg, you may recall, is the surly kid from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who decided, in the wake of a mass murder there, that the answer wasn’t to lock up dangerously unstable people but to instead demonize and disarm law-abiding Americans. Somehow, we don’t think this guy is going to win friends and influence people.

Don’t take my word for it. Ask Hogg himself. “I’m one of the most politically toxic people in the country,” he said nearly three years ago, “and I’m too radical for American politics. No, I’m not running for office. We have enough straight white men in power. It’d be nice to see some people who actually look like our country and not privilege.”

At age 24, has this Hogg changed his spots? Color me skeptical. But that’s beside the point. It’s these racist woman-hating voters. They must all be lesbians.