The MoveOn Dust-Up, the GOP’s Self-Righteous Indignation, and Winning the White House

This week’s Moveon.org dust-up reminded me of that time when we Republicans led with our hearts and got pounded in our faces. We loved bathing in self-righteous indignation. Our base loved it too. But the practical results were always the same: we scared little children, household pets and crossover voters. It was a really great way to alienate the voters we needed the most.

Whoever dreamed up the ad questioning the loyalty of Iraq’s top soldier would have fit in great with those of us who drove the political agenda in 1995 — and guaranteed Bill Clinton’s re-election in 1996. While I’m sure Move On’s ad locked down the base in Manhattan and Madison, Democrats need to be more concerned with wooing voters in Tampa and Toledo.