I think Pelosi is a very astute political mind & I figure she probably has her reasons for endorsing Kennedy.

But from where I'm sitting, Pelosi's biggest failure is that she has always had huge blindspot when it comes to progressive politics.

She is a moderate Democrat & is going to legislate/mobilize like one. Once you understand that it makes sense why she (usually) endorses reliable incumbents over primary challengers & why she's switched that policy for challenger Kennedy- a Dem dynasty of middle-road politics.

I personally think there is also something to be said for her endorsing a younger Democratic challenger like Kennedy at a time when young TRULY progressive candidates are gaining seats & carving away at that Democratic middle and moving the party leftward.

She's thinking 20 moves ahead to what she'd like the party to look like for the next 30 years. (Which is easier to do with a younger candidate than an older one- Kennedy could be in Senate for DECADES).

But put another way-

If Kennedy was more value/politically aligned with more left leaning "squad" of AOC, Pressley, Omar, & Tlaib... would Pelosi be endorsing him over Markey?

My bet is no. You'd see her pull that "we don't primary incumbents" BS. She'd bide her time & wait.

Because what Pelosi truly cares about is power consolidation in House of Reps.

She doesn't see that happening long term w/ influx of left-leaning reps, viewed as alienating voters in political middle. She wants staying power for party & views moderate Dems as key to success.

And not for nothing, power consolidation IS critical. She has her eye on the right goal.

I just think where Pelosi & I differ is on how we get there. I don't see the progressive slide as a losing bet for success of the party. I actually think its the key to saving us.

Long story short: Pelosi 100% has a strategy and maybe the conjecture in my thread is crap (what do I know?) but it's definitely worth examining what her motivations might be for pivoting away from Markey and towards Kennedy.

(She says to her Twitter following of 540 people, very few of whom are from Massachusetts and therefore have little interest in this Northeast political dust up even though it'll effect all of you federally speaking).

Pelosi's endorsement I can understand because she never claimed to be the rallying point of the progressive wing.

This non-endorsement from Sanders is just baffling? Based on what I know of him as a public figure, he should be all up in this primary. https://twitter.com/elizacollins1/status/1296536959385575429?s=20