Reply #29: you can be a centrist and still appeal to the base

[CTLawGuy]

Dean ran because the Bush adminstration sold snake oil to the American people. Bush is not a centrist, he is a radical. Dean has never lied about being a centrist. The media pins labels on him because that is their perrogative.

A centrist can appeal to the base if that centrist has principles opposed to the radical candidate (bush). Most people, even liberals, are fine with Dean's centrism, but they like him because he will OPPOSE bush's radicalism with clear centrist philosophies which do not appear to be based on political calculation.


Dean supporters don't care that Dean was a centrist, that he fought liberals in Vermont, they don't care that he gave tax breaks to promote business in Vermont. they don't care that he spoke at the CATO institute. they care that he is not afraid to oppose the Bush administation and has clear positions. The base is not necessarily the most left, the base is the most DEMOCRATIC, the most partisan.