Ignoring the centrists hurts

Dallas Morning News: It's admittedly unusual to praise dirty trickster Richard Nixon when complaining about how campaigns go off track, but the former president had a point when he advised Republicans to run to the right in a primary and to the middle in the general election. That's where "swing" voters live, and candidates must win them over to ensure victory.
How quaint that maxim seems today. Since 2000, both parties largely have sworn off the middle and pitched issues to their most loyal voters. These midterm elections are about getting the most fervent Democrats and Republicans to the polls.
Witness President Bush campaigning about the New Jersey ruling that gives gay and lesbian couples legal rights similar to heterosexual couples. The president tells friendly audiences that "activist judges" shouldn't make that decision. He has a point, but it has little credibility since the White House has not acted on behalf of social conservatives to stop such unions. The complaining instead is a way to motivate conservatives to vote Tuesday.
Democrats are using Bush to mobilize their base. Democratic challengers are juicing up their voters by reminding them how their GOP opponents belong to the party of Bush, even if the candidate opposes the president on issues.
The end result
The "base strategy" produces several bad effects.
First, it turns away voters who think for themselves. Normally, the parties would worry about low voter turnout, but not when they want to turn out only dependable voters.
Second, the approach makes it harder for moderates to survive in Congress. They know they could get run over in the next election. Americans could end up with few centrists who will work across party lines to resolve problems like deficit spending.
Strategists would get what they want: legislators who toe the party line. But Americans would not get what they deserve: a Congress that knows how to solve problems. That's the problem with ignoring Nixon's advice.