Wither Democrats?

Dallas Morning News: The 22 Democratic senators who supported John Roberts on Thursday for chief justice of the United States get this point: Their party takes a terrific risk whenever it ignores mainstream voters. The big question is whether the 22 Democratic senators who opposed the quiet, collegial conservative understand that reality.
Before the confirmation vote, polls showed most Americans favored Judge Roberts heading the federal judiciary. Like this editorial page, they didn't agree with all his views. But they respected his integrity, training and intellect.
The Democrats who opposed Judge Roberts appear to respect something else: the power of the party's interest groups. Women's groups. Environmentalists. Trial lawyers. Their clout matters most of all. Indeed, such Democrats as Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid made it clear they weren't going to budge from the base, even though they earlier complimented Judge Roberts.
At first glance, that tack might seem like Republicans who play mostly to the GOP conservative groups. But there is a difference. Democrats face a greater danger by paying attention only to their base.
Moderates
According to exit polls from the 2004 elections, 21 percent of voters identified themselves as liberal, while 34 percent said they were conservative and 45 put themselves in the moderate camp. Washington Post columnist E.J. Dionne drew this conclusion from those figures: "Liberal-leaning Democrats are far more dependent than conservatively inclined Republicans on alliances with the political center."
Bill Clinton certainly understood that his party's future rests in linking up with the center. That's why he became the first two-term Democratic president since Franklin Roosevelt.
Senators like Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas, Max Baucus of Montana and Ken Salazar of Colorado grasp them, too. They were among the 22 Democrats who sided with the American mainstream and voted for Judge Roberts.
We applaud them and wish them well in guiding the Democratic Party.