When you read this headline from the conservative Examiner, try not to laugh:Democrats tack left while Republicans stay centerDemocratic presidential candidates are straying further from centrist policies than their Republican counterparts, which could make it harder for them to win over moderates next year.
"On national security, they've definitely moved farther to the left," said Democratic strategist Dan Gerstein, a former aide to centrist Sen. Joseph Lieberman, the former Democrat who is now an independent. "And that's troubling."
By contrast, the Republican candidates have hewed more closely to the center, drawing criticism from some party activists that they are not conservative enough. GOP front-runner Rudy Giuliani, for instance, supports abortion, gay rights and gun control.
You gotta love their example -- Rudy Giuliani! Yep, that one person makes up for the entire GOP field (Never mind that Rudy has flip-flopped to the right on civil unions, abortion funding, immigration, etc.). Yup, Rudy makes up for the fact that two of the leading GOP contenders -- Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson -- have veered way right (Fred on being pro-choice and Mitt on ... well ... everything under the sun).
And, of course, you've got the rest of the anti-gay, anti-choice, pro-war, pro-torture field, several of which are avowed Creationists, fer crying out loud.
If this is how the GOP field stays in the center, God help us when they play to the base.
(Thank you Talk Left for the image.)