LTTE: Moderates can lead the way (Mark Warner) [View All]

There is one empirical and one absolute mathematical maxim to consider if one wants to win an election. Unfortunately, some Democrats on the far left are out of touch with these realities:

1. If you throw donkey dung, you are going to stink of it, and the majority of voters will not vote for you.

2. If you do not reach out to the majority of the voters, you will not win the majority of the votes.

These points were nicely summed up by Virginia Gov. (and possible presidential candidate) Mark Warner while speaking at the Florida Democratic Convention on Dec. 11. "You have to go beyond simply criticizing the other guys. You've got to also show where you want to head, and I think you also have to be willing to say that you'll work with anyone to get there."

On the other hand, many thoughtful Republicans are embarrassed that their party, which is controlled by the far right, will be held responsible for record deficits, a poor response to Hurricane Katrina, indicted congressional leaders, unprecedented war profiteering with over $10 billion in nonbid contracts to the vice president's former company (Halliburton), the graphic revelations of torture, the disclosure of spying on Americans by our government, and a costly pre-emptive war, where even President Bush conceded on Dec. 15 that much of the intelligence turned out to be wrong.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060101/OPINION/601010822/1029