[truthandlife]

The article is stupid. If the republicans do not pander to the center, then the democrats will pander to the center and win all the elections.

Disagree. You might want to read this for some history:

Secrets of the "Reagan Democrats”

	1980	1984	1988	1992	1996
Voting age population in millions	157.6	172.8	180.7	185.6	194.8
Democrat votes in millions	35.5	37.5	41.8	44.8	45.6
Percent of Democrat votes	23%	22%	23%	24%	23%

The fundamental reason for the victories of Ronald Reagan (1980 and 1984) and George H.W. Bush (1988) is that they ran on a solid conservative agenda that was easily understood, and believed, by conservative base voters. Both President Bush (1992) and Bob Dole (1996) lost because their campaigns lacked conservative credibility, resulting in fewer Republican votes as the conservative base abandoned them by either staying home or registering a protest vote for Ross Perot.

[staytrue]

I think reagan won because carter was an imbecile with 20% interest rates and 10 percent unemployment. Reagan won reelection because incumbents are hard to beat. Bush won because Dukakis was a short weenie who took a tank ride. Bush lost in 92 because of the recession and hostile media. Clinton won in 96 because before the convention, Dole had no money and Clinton probably had about 100 million to spend and there was peace and prosperity. Bush won in 2000 because there was no incumbent running.

Bush may lose in 2004 because of a recession.

The rule is incumbents usually win unless the economy is bad. If no incumbent is running then the election is close.
It has little to do with conservative or liberal. You have to win the center.