The Washington Post has an article in today's edition:

Report Warns Democrats Not to Tilt Too Far Left

My first response was mild.  I'm not offended by this point of view.  But then I started to read a few of the quotes and summary statements.

It starts with this standard staw-man style misstatement by Galston and Kamarck (funded by the "Centerist" Third Way) of the viewpoints of many who support a strong partisan strategy:

No, it's not about converting the whole country to wholehearted liberalism; it's about providing enough of a meaningful contrast that people have something to vote for.  The problem is that Kerry never did that.  There were people dying for an alternative to Bush who stayed home, or voted for Bush holding their nose, because they thought Kerry stood for nothing.

And then it gets worse:

Yes, security issues HAVE become very important.  So much so that Democrats must stop waffling and pandering, and articulate clearly that Republicans security policies have been a SECURITY DISASTER. What's the point in voting for a Republican-lite when you can get the real thing?

But the most irritating of all is the authors' apparent decision to do the work of the Republicans for them, by reaffirming the notion that "liberals" alienate the party from "most Americans:"

You know what, gentlemen?  The Republicans use this smear against EVERY SINGLE ONE of us in the Democratic party.  Including so-called "centerists."  You're not helping yourselves by repeating it.

So, what's the solution?

What lovely examples of the worst of Clinton.  Yes, indeedy, if political brutality is what I want, I'll vote for a Republican.