Just a quick FYI about "the base"

[Hortensis]

7. Those who'd stay home are NOT THE BASE, though.

Simple as that. Our party serves the beliefs and wishes of the large, diverse majority coalition who are our proud base.

Who thinks that pandering to the whites who OD'd on equality and voted for Trump's racism and misogyny would have been a good idea? That would have required betraying our base, ourselves, which is to say all of America.

Who thinks we should have caved to the kind of people who could think Democrats protecting Obamacare from destruction and refusing to nominate a socialist who couldn't win the GE justified turning the nation over to the Republicans? Some did and are now promising to do it again even while children far too young to understand cry hopelessly in prison camps.

Liberal principles of government of by and for the people, of equality, human rights and progressivism are very real. We are the diverse coalition of agreeable, respectful people who do our best to serve all. Our duty not just to ourselves but to all is a real thing.

People with the character and judgement to BE the Democratic base cannot degrade our principles and goals pander to those who lack commitment to them. Much less those willing to blow up the nation out of spite if they didn't get their way.