Will the Center Hold? (Have the Dem's come to their senses with respect to Lieberman and McKinney?)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | July 31, 2006 | John Fund

[Zakeet]

Two primaries next week will tell a lot about the strength of the hard-left wing of the Democratic party. In Connecticut, moderate Sen. Joe Lieberman faces a challenger whose single issue is opposition to the Iraq war. In Georgia, ultraliberal Rep. Cynthia McKinney faces a runoff against a moderate opponent who is wooing liberals with the slogan: "It's time to restore respect to progressivism." Despite all the hype about the power of the liberal blogosphere, the odds are better than even that voters will reject the more liberal candidate in both races and send the message that the sensible center still has a home among Democrats.

[Zakeet]

Anybody out there know what John Fund is talking about when he refers to the "sensible center" of the Democrap Party?

[Paleo Conservative]

Incumbents who score below 50% in an initial primary seldom recover to win the runoff. That is likely to be Ms. McKinney's fate. A new Insider Advantage poll shows Mr. Johnson leading by 25 points, with a third of the vote undecided.

Sounds like it could be a landslide.

[Darkwolf377]

a moderate opponent who is wooing liberals with the slogan: "It's time to restore respect to progressivism."

How is one a moderate who is trying to restore respect to "progressivism"? Catchy phrase, huh?

I think what Fund is saying is that there are indeed sensible centrist Democrats, and this election will tell if they have any influence at all.

I'm starting to think that if the Left comes on strong this election it will cause a huge shift of these centrist Dems. That, and nothing we do, may be the beginning of the end for the party as it is today.

[jazusamo]

I didn't realize there was a sensible center or a moderate wing of the Dem Party any longer. I think McKinney's going to bomb because she has just become too looney, even for the looney left.

[LtKerst]

restore respect to "progressivism"?

How do you restore something that never existed?

[gr8eman]

Yeah, she is their embodiment but they aren't that stupid to let on their true intentions. She blew their cover so she has to go!

[Darkwolf377]

It's always been respected by a certain demented bunch in every society. It's funny how they claim the title "progressive" as if all actual progress in any society is owed to that sect.

[Bush gal in LA]

''She blew their cover so she has to go!''..........I totally agree with you. But the fun part to watch will be when after she loses........ I expect her to scream the other guy cheated or it was Diebold ,or the Jews,.......... oh its late so I guess my point is .....I don't think she will go quietly........

[Democratshavenobrains]

I never thought I'd say this but I hope Clinton influenced enough people to vote for his candidate. If Lamont loses, all of his blogosphere supporters will have a giant black eye.

[Joe Boucher]

Who would have thought the good folks in her district have that much sense?

[7thson]

Can someone name me one person Bill Clinton actively supported - other than himself - in an election and that person won?

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

they dont. they voted her back in after she lost to majette who then ran for the senate.love that cross over voting LOL

[DustyMoment]

In Georgia, ultraliberal Rep. Cynthia McKinney faces a runoff against a moderate opponent who is wooing liberals with the slogan: "It's time to restore respect to progressivism."

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!! This is from The Onion, right??

[Savage Beast]

Are you kidding, John! The Democrat Party is the Kook Fringe.

[kevkrom]

In the end, a more "centrist" Democrat party will be a good thing for all of us. Sure, we'll lose some elections, but the GOP can start shifting back towards conservatism rather than the centrist attitude it is taking. Then, the debate will be center-left vs. center-right rather than left vs. center.

In other words, the less liberal the Democrats are, the less liberal the Republicans will be too. And vice-versa.

[Savage Beast]

Don't you get a kick out of the way the Psychotic Left endlessly invents newspeak catchphrases like "progressive" as a substitute for "oppressive", "liberal" for "totalitarian", etc.! They're not imaginative, but they are persistent. They must sleep with 1984 under their pillows.

[DustyMoment]

They must sleep with 1984 under their pillows.

That's too futuristic for them - they're still trapped in the 60s of Camelot - BEFORE Teddy killed Mary Jo; BEFORE LBJ had JFK killed; BEFORE J F'n Kerry spent Christmas in Cambodia (a memory that is seared, SEARED into his mind!), BEFORE they snatched defeat from victory in Vietnam; BEFORE . . . . . . (fill in the blank)

[Savage Beast]

Too futuristic and too intelligent--for the morons who are the Leftists' footsoldiers, i.e. For the sociopaths who control them, 1984 is Mein Kampf and the Communist Manifesto.

[SunkenCiv]

"ultraliberal Rep. Cynthia McKinney"

by that the writers mean,

"whack-job supporter of the Party of the Klan, Rep. Cynthia McKinney"

[SunkenCiv]

Clinton's endorsed Lamont? If so, it's merely a ploy, cover fire for his wife's 2006 reelection and potential 2008 presidential run.