It has been nearly a year since Barack Obama passed the baton to Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia last July – a relay that Clinton was unable to win. Yet, as it now seems, the image of a younger man who reenergized the party back in 2008 “passing the baton” to a woman who has been in the public spotlight for three decades has apparently symbolized the current dilemma facing Democrats: who should be in charge?
While most Democrats did rally behind Hillary Clinton during the General Election last November, it seems as if that has mistakenly given comfort to Washington-insiders and old faces like Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders. Although each of those named (and even unnamed) have served the United States fervently and may have high approval ratings amongst registered Democrats, one can only fathom when the party will begin anew.
With Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders all refusing to rule out a bid for the presidency in 2020, in addition to Nancy Pelosi refusing to retire her seat in the House, it is making it difficult for new and upcoming Democratic stars to take to the frontlines and lead the party into the right direction – the future.
Many traditional Democrats would be quick to make a case for those aforementioned and even those forgotten, stating lines such as “Pelosi is a fundraising machine; she helped pass Obamacare,” “[insert name here] has been a leader for the party for decades. They would make an amazing nominee in 2020” – both of which are true statements, no one is denying them. But how long until the future they have worked tirelessly to better for following generations is actually given to their succeeding generation?
Let us be quite clear – the Democratic party is in no shortage of quality leaders, specifically those who are new to the political arena (or at least that of Washington.) Senators like Kamala Harris, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Cory Booker are just waiting for their moment to lead this country forward. Representatives like Joe Kennedy III and Tulsi Gabbard are fresh and exciting – people who may be less experienced but still just as qualified as the Democratic Legends who are not ready to leave their legacy behind. Even people like Jason Kander or Jon Ossoff, both of whom lost their bids to the Senate and the House respectively, are the epitome of what the Democratic Party’s future can look like. The star-power is there, it just needs to be allowed to shine.
Now, should beloved leaders like Pelosi or Biden, Warren and Sanders be forced out of office? Absolutely not. However, they need to start making room on the stage. Pundits across the news spectrum will continuously have viewers believe that the Democratic party “needs new leadership,” but that they simply cannot figure out who the new leaders are. While true immediately following the 2016 election, which gave room for the aforementioned to temporarily fill the void that was the “leader of the party,” it is not true today, close to eight months after. In reality, the new leaders are staring us right in the eyes, but the current leaders are unwilling to take off their blindfold.
It should be the Democratic Party’s mission to start anew after 2018 and 2020, regardless of the outcome of each. The future is knocking at the door, and it is time to let it in.
