BCT Editorial – 3/7/07

This page was last updated on March 8, 2007.

Middle ground; Editorial; Beaver County Times; March 7, 2007.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject editorial.

“When it comes to politics in Pennsylvania, it’s a case of everything in moderation.

“Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Michael Smerconish notes that a recent survey by the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College found that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani polled much better than fellow Republican John McCain in hypothetical races against Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama.

“Giuliani and McCain were bucking a trend. Smerconish reported the poll had both Republicans topping the two Democrats despite the fact that 46 percent of the respondents said that they believed President Bush was doing a poor job.

“The key to the poll results is in the way Pennsylvania voters see themselves. The poll found that 21 percent of the respondents said they were liberals, 32 percent said they were conservatives and 41 percent said they were moderates.”

[RWC] When a poll taken in Pennsylvania asserts there are 52% more conservatives than liberals, that tells us two things.

First, the poll is worthless. Second, it confirms the trend that liberals don’t like to be called liberals and are increasingly calling themselves “moderates,” centrists, et cetera.

“Although they don’t have much clout in the primaries, which are dominated by party activists, moderates decide elections. The party that realizes that and nominates accordingly is the one that wins elections in Pennsylvania.”

[RWC] As a reminder, when a Times editorial refers to “moderates” (or centrists, et cetera), it really means liberals.

In an example I’ve cited before, the Times refers to Sen. Joe Lieberman (CT) as being in the center despite him being the Democrat VP candidate in 2000 and a 2005 Americans for Democratic Action voting record of 94%. The American Conservative Union (ACU) gave Sen. Lieberman a 2005 rating of 8%.

Finally, editorials never tell us what principles these so-called “moderates” stand for.