DNC Opts Not to Release Full 2024 Election Autopsy, Citing Focus on Forward Lessons
Democratic strategist James Carville sharply criticized the Democratic National Committee on Thursday for refusing to release its paid-for 200-page autopsy of Kamala Harris's 2024 defeat. DNC Chair Ken Martin defended the decision, saying the party is focusing on lessons learned rather than relitigating the past. Carville compared the move to ignoring the cause of an airplane crash.
Substrate placeholder — needs review" Carville said the answer to what went wrong lies in the autopsy that has been paid for, adding that the DNC is sitting on it because it might hurt somebody's feelings. "You're supposed to have your feelings hurt when you lose," he said. " He compared the situation to an airplane crash.
"When an airplane crashes, the last thing anybody says is 'Let's not look back. Let's just look forward,'" Carville stated. " Carville said he is going to be on this "like gravy on rice" because it is too stupid for words.
He added that the Democrats did not get a single vote on Election Day that they were not already going to get on Labor Day. Carville asked where the money for the autopsy went, how it was spent, what was effective and what was not effective. Al Hunt, Carville's "Politics War Room" co-host, said he thought the autopsy should be released but was not too focused on it.
Hunt and Carville both felt confident that then-Vice President Kamala Harris was going to win the 2024 election. The Democratic National Committee decided not to release its 2024 election autopsy report. Instead, the DNC released lessons from the 2024 election.
DNC Chair Ken Martin was interviewed on "Pod Save America" in April, where host Jon Favreau sparred with him for more than 10 minutes over the reversal on releasing the autopsy report. In that April interview, Ken Martin said the DNC announced in a November press release that it was not going to release the report.
"We are going to actually keep our focus on those lessons, and we released those lessons," Martin said.
Martin said he does not want to engage in navel-gazing, looking backwards and relitigating 2024. "I don't know about you, Jon, but I don't have a time machine. I don't think you do. No one does," he continued.
"So we can't change what happened in '24. " According to an NBC News report citing a source familiar with the conversations, Kamala Harris is fine with the election autopsy being released. Ken Martin previously criticized the DNC for not releasing the 2016 autopsy report on Hillary Clinton's defeat.
Fox News Digital reached out to the DNC for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Key Facts
Story Timeline
3 events- 2024-11
DNC announces in press release it will not release the 2024 election autopsy report
2 sourcesFox News · Ken Martin - 2026-04
DNC Chair Ken Martin interviewed on Pod Save America; sparring over autopsy decision lasts more than 10 minutes
2 sourcesFox News · Ken Martin - 2026-05-08
James Carville criticizes DNC on Politics War Room for withholding the 200-page autopsy
1 sourceFox News
Potential Impact
- 01
DNC's refusal risks reinforcing criticism that the party is avoiding accountability for the Harris defeat.
- 02
Continued internal Democratic debate over 2024 lessons could shape strategy for 2026 midterm elections.
- 03
Public airing of the full 200-page report might reveal spending effectiveness on the Harris campaign.
Transparency Panel
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