Op-Ed: Reason To Celebrate Super Tuesday by J.E. Dean

It’s not over ‘til it’s over, but there was much to like about the surprise events on Super Tuesday. Cynic that I am, I did not see the Biden landslide coming. Blame that on me because I assumed that reason had left the building for many Bernie Bros and Warren wombats. I was wrong, and I’m glad of it. If Biden doesn’t implode in coming weeks, Trump’s worst nightmare may come true: Running against a decent, experienced candidate who would restore respect for the American presidency.

Happiness aside, there are other takeaways from Tuesday. First, the assumption that a huge block of the Democratic party electorate is more interested in receiving government benefits than in good government, was proven wrong.  Even younger voters, many of whom are carrying large student loan debt and face an uncertain future, rose above their self-interest and passed on voting for Bernie or Liz. Second, Bernie appeared to rely on extraordinary turnout of young and Latinx voters. They turned out, but not in the numbers he assumed.  Meanwhile he often seemed to ignore middle-class, suburban and older voters. These voters, as always, turned out. There is a lesson there that all candidates, regardless of party should remember: A broader appeal is always better than a narrow one. Third, three major Democratic candidates put the future of the country first in dropping out and endorsing their former competitor.

Special thanks go out to Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg, two strong candidates who, in acting selflessly, positioned themselves for bright political futures. Fourth, the election proved that it takes more than TV and web ads to win an election. Although there is much to like about Mike Bloomberg, arguably the most qualified candidate to run, assumptions that massive spending would translate into votes were proven wrong.

Thus, while it is too early to assume that Biden is over the line, either for the nomination or in beating Trump, my confidence in the American electorate has been strengthened. That having been said, however, there are a few things that are worth mentioning that might be described as continuing worries. First among these is something controversial. In the quest to increase voter participation, several innovations have been implemented in recent years, including voting by mail and same day or automatic voter registration.

The results on Tuesday in Colorado, where a huge percentage of the voting was by mail, provided Bernie with a win. One wonders if those voters had been forced to wait until after the South Carolina primary whether the outcome would have been different. Maximizing the information voters have before they cast their values is a good thing.  And easy registration, while encouraging voting, has also resulted in something we saw on Tuesday—long lines of voters waiting in line who had not yet decided for whom to vote. To some of us, that is weird. If I could not make up my mind for whom to vote, I think I would stay home. The point here is that many of us believe that “maximizing the vote” is the highest good. Maybe promoting informed voting should be a higher priority. I confess to being cynical about someone who voted for a candidate because of a Kim Kardashian or Drake endorsement.

My nagging worries are consistent with my reputation of someone who worries about the future even when things seem to be going well.  As we look forward to the next primaries, we should not assume this contentious primary season is over, but we should take a minute or two to welcome evidence that the Democratic party is not about to run itself off a cliff.  Donald Trump, start packing your bags.

J.E. Dean of Oxford is a retired attorney and public affairs consultant. He is a former counsel to the House Committee on Education and Labor.  For more than 30 years, he advised clients on federal education and social service policy.