@djc Usually I'm on the other side of this. I hate it when people tell potential primary contenders to stay out because it would be "divisive". Given our terrible electoral system and the two-party oligopoly it yields, the primary system is the *only* outlet through which new ideas and ideologies can gain expression. My first choice would be to pick a better electoral system, but while we have this one, contesting primaries should always be encouraged IMHO. 1/

@djc But I don't think that holds now. What little legitimacy surrounds our usual, very flawed electoral process comes from the fact that the rules and contours are well-known in advance, and the public does have some ways to intervene in it. This process would lack that legitimacy. "Public opinion" would have its effect only through media and algorithmic social-media funhouse mirrors. Those are both antidemocratic antiprocedures. 2/

@djc And unless there is a very quick consolidation behind a ticket (what I think the outgoing administration stands responsible to engineer), all bets are off about whether Democrats will be able to present themselves as suitable to govern. (And of course interested actors — Republicans, maybe geopolitical interests that would prefer dealing with Trump administration — will act strategically to provoke an unflattering process if they can.) /fin