The Dems will really begin to echo Putin's rather limited grasp of the electoral college and its purpose. To compare the electoral college -- by which each State's popular vote does, in fact, elect the president in the end -- with a dictatorial appointing of representatives to the Duma is preposterous. Yet Libs will be using this same example. Sadly, since the public school system doesn't effectively teach "civics" anymore, millions of American's are too ignorant and uninformed to know the difference.
The Dems will do whatever is expedient with regard to the electoral college. Had they carried Ohio, they would have carried the electoral vote but lost the popular vote by several million. That's why their comments on the electoral college this time around were relatively muted.
Longer term, of course, their purposes would be best served by doing away with the electoral college, because populous welfare pits vote their way. The Framers were very wise to balance popular and regional interests with the Electoral College.