Isn't it really unusual for a "moderate" Dem to win over a "moderate" Repu

[jsamuel]

blican?

or not?

any opinions?

[wyldwolf]

1. you'll get a million and one definitions of moderate.

So your question may not be answerable.

However, Bob Dole (moderate by today's GOP standards) lost to Clinton.

Ford, a moderate by sensible definitions, lost to Carter - also a moderate.

But I predict I'll get disagreements on my characterizations..

[jsamuel]

3. Definitely agree with you on the term "moderate"

But I always thought of Ford as more like a "slow" Republican than a moderate one. But that's just me.

[wyldwolf]

4. he is described as moderate

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-21,GGLG:en&q=Gerald+Ford+moderate

But I'll just go ahead and answer you question outright. Yes. Happens often.

Some here want the answer to be "no" to provide credence to their belief that to win, the party must go left. But moderate win and often against moderate Republicans.

[jsamuel]

5. yeah, a self declared one

Ford continued as he had in his Congressional days to view himself as "a moderate in domestic affairs, a conservative in fiscal affairs, and a dyed-in-the-wool internationalist in foreign affairs."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/gf38.html

Also, that was right after watergate, but that still applies, so thanks for that example.

[wyldwolf]

6. One thing I won't do is get into an argument on whether Ford was moderate

Your original question was posed in such a way as to make the belief that the party must turn left more credible. Therefore, any example given will be met with "he wasn't moderate."

if you want to see how often he was reffered to as a moderate,

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2006-21,GGLG:en&q=Gerald+Ford+moderate

[jsamuel]

7. sorry if my post came off that way, but I was actually inquiring about the

race in TN between Corker (R) and Ford (D) where both are viewed as "moderates"

Recent polls have shown Ford down a lot where other races like Carter vs Ensign show Carter gaining. (and notice how that one is not a LIBERAL CRAZY MAN VS A MODERATE REPUBLICAN, but a moderate Dem vs a right Repub)

(by the way I didn't say he wasn't "moderate" I was saying that I am skeptical of ANYONE being called a "moderate" because can be used as a political tool sometimes. I also thanked you for this example of a moderate Dem beating a moderate Rep in my previous post)

[bryant69]

2. The terms may be meaningless

But I'd say it probably is less likely. The attitude in the Republican Party since Gingrich has been one of triumphalism. They've had set backs and problems, of course, but it doesn't seem like they've ever realized that they are aren't actually going to defeat us and eliminate us (on the contrary they seem to still want to eliminate us).

I think a tinge of this attitude goes all the way down to the more moderate elements, who don't feel like they need o compromise.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com