Live by identity politics, die by identity politics . . .

Markers are already being laid down along racial and gender lines that could restrict Dem options for assembling a 2020 ticket. On Joy Reid's MSNBC show this morning, guest Jason Johnson warned:

JASON JOHNSON: What's the most important constituency for Democrats in 2020? Black women. And I've heard plenty of black women say, if there's not a black woman on this ticket, I'm not voting, I'm not excited, I'm not enthusiastic." If the Democratic party wants to run seriously in 2020, they can't relegate black women to second class. They can't relegate black women a consolation prize.

Not-so-joyous Reid then established an absolute racial test for Dems, nixing as an example, the notion of a Biden/Beto ticket:

JOY REID: They can't run two white guys. The idea that you have Joe Biden talking to Beto O'Rourke and saying maybe they could be a ticket. I personally find it hard to understand how you get the requisite turnout among voters of color if it's a two-white-male ticket. I mean, women are going to be outraged if there's not a woman on the ticket, and voters of color are going to say: well, then why are we participating?"

How about this as a reason for "participating": to elect people who you believe would do the best job in serving the country?

Since all the Dems have virtually indistinguishable liberal positions on the issues, hunker down for lots of internecine Dem squabbling over identity politics. Note Johnson warning that Dems "can't relegate black women to second class." How long before we hear someone warning Dem party leaders against sending black women "to the back of the bus?"

This could get ugly.