Third Way; Six Dem Senators and From form Senate Advisory Board

[Rose Siding]

We should keep up on the shifting pockets of power and alliances like these. From and some of these Senators have held positions on progressive issues that are unimpressive.

Landreau is one that has exhibited a taste for the fight- in the overnighter on judges she held her ground, dramatically refusing to yield the floor three times. Her last reelection was a good fight; smart and sure, under direct bushie assault. And she has a good handle on treating the enlisted military well, which I approve of, as long as space sized defense programs aren't part of the bargain.

I'm not very familiar with Pryor, but I seem to recall him stepping up to the plate frequently, as well.

The others are Bayh, Lincoln, Carper and Salazar- partnered with Al From, "Reforming and Rebranding Progressives to Build a "Moderate Majority" in America":

America is a nation divided that has drifted sharply to the right. Middle class voters increasingly are supporting the conservative agenda, on both economic and cultural grounds. This profound change in the political landscape has entrenched conservative control in Washington and, unless progressives can seize the center and fashion a "moderate majority," threatens to keep them in the political wilderness for the foreseeable future.

Two factors have contributed to the decline of progressives: First, we are losing the war of ideas to conservatives — particularly the ideas that capture the imagination of middle-income families. Second, progressives have allowed conservatives to define and capture the cultural center. Progressives are now regarded by a significant percentage of Americans as wedded to old dogmas and out of touch with mainstream values.
...
Third Way was conceived and developed in close cooperation with Al From, founder and CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC). Mr. From, who pioneered progressive centrist thinking in the 1980s and helped forge the Clinton presidency's governing philosophy in the 1990s, is committed to helping Third Way become an effective and aggressive advocate for progressive centrist principles in the Senate.

http://www.third-way.com/overview/

"Rebranding" may be a good idea (tho it's distasteful, imo, to use advertising terms about things that are basic to the public good -and I disagree entirely that our "old dogmas" (read: PROVIDE FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE) are "out of touch with mainstream values". But this alliance will create a pocket of power that could either help the dem image or erode it further.

I have a hunch that this group will have "traditional" funding available to them:

http://www.third-way.com/action/

Lobbying to Promote New Ideas: Third Way is not simply an idea factory or another think-tank. Indeed, we spend time on the nuts and bolts of promoting these initiatives, helping move our policy ideas through the Senate. We engage in some traditional lobbying, seeking out co-sponsors and support for the legislation in other offices. In addition, we do grassroots lobbying, through public education projects. This work helps explain to the public the importance of our legislation (or the dire need to stop right-wing initiatives or nominees that we might be fighting). Finally, we help move (or stop) legislation with “grasstops” work, finding crucial supporters and community leaders who can weigh in with key Senators in support for (or opposition to) legislation that we are working to pass (or defeat).

And here (also at previous link), it looks like their "playbook" is lifted from their opponents last battle-

Handling Cultural Hot Buttons and the "New South" Project: Election 2004 demonstrated yet again the power and peril of the so-called "cultural" or "wedge" issues like gay marriage, abortion, guns, and religion. Third Way will conduct a series of meetings, conferences, and analysis to help develop a long-term strategy in this area. This work will include drafting and regularly updating a "playbook" on these cultural hot buttons, with new ideas, messaging and other tools that will form a new progressive centrist approach to these issues.