The identity politics so promiscuously practiced by the Democratic presidential candidates leads to remarkably racialist, if not racist, assumptions. Witness a statement made in the Democratic presidential debate by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York.

Gillibrand specifically said that because she is a “white woman of privilege,” she can go to suburban areas and sell them on liberal candidates and priorities in ways that dark-complexioned candidates such as Sens. Cory Booker and Kamala Harris cannot. Seriously. She’s saying candidates like Cory Booker and Kamala Harris can’t compete with white voters.