Some new polling information on how the Democrats can beat Bush:

Democrats will have to neutralize the "security gap" -- the wide chasm between the parties on the threshold issue for the presidency. Many of society's most vulnerable voters, including seniors, place high importance on security. Swing voters are unlikely to vote for a Democrat unless he can offer a vision to compete with Republicans when it comes to national defense and homeland security. In the past, Democrats like President Clinton had to neutralize the Republicans on crime and welfare reform to be heard on other issues. Today, Democrats must be strong on security to be heard on the economy.

Voters on the whole have mixed impressions of the Democratic Party. The ability of the Democratic Party to reach the growing segments of the electorate, and particularly married voters with kids at home, is hurt by current perceptions that Democrats stand for big government, want to raise taxes too high, are too liberal, and are beholden to special interest groups. These perceptions, which relegated Democrats to the sidelines in the 1980s, once again put the party at a disadvantage as it attempts to woo swing men and married men who currently lean heavily toward the Republican column.

Key general election voters and even Democratic primary voters show a higher level of confidence in moderate Democrats than in liberal Democrats. This is true on a favorability scale and on trust in handling domestic issues like the economy, health care, and education; fiscal issues like taxes and government spending; and national security and homeland defense.

The underlying values of the New Democrat agenda draw even stronger support in post-9/11 America. The New Democrat agenda remains central to expanding the party's appeal to moderates, especially among male swing voters. The agenda is also received positively by liberals.

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The unspoken assertion from the DLC faction is that Dean is a left-wing radical. Far from it, yet look how easily he's tarred with that brush.
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