Reading this AP article on Evan Bayh's announcement that he won't seek the Dem presidential nomination because he's concluded the odds are too long, I kept searching for the predictable labeling reference. And sure enough it came:
"Bayh has charted a centrist's course throughout his political career."
That sent me scurrying to a favorite source, Project Vote Smart, to check Bayh's ratings from various interest groups. Yes, he's probably less liberal than, say, Barbara Boxer. But check out some of his ratings:
- NARAL, 2005 - 100%
- National Right-to-Life Committee, 2001-02 - 0%
- National Taxpayers Union, 2005 - 12%
- Americans for Tax Reform, 2006 - 10%
- NAACP, 2005 - 100%
- Concerned Women for America, 2005-06, 11%
- Children's Defense Fund, 2005 - 100%
- Family Research Council 2004 - 0%
- NOW, 2005 - 100%
- Gun Owners of America, 2005 - 0%
- NRA, lifetime rating - D-
- Association of American Immigration Lawyers, 2006 - 88%
- Federation for Immigration Reform, 2005 - 0%
- AFL-CIO, 2001 - 100%
- Americans for Democratic Action, 2005 - 95%
Now try to imagine a Republican with mirror-image ratings. Odds the Associated Press would call label such a person "centrist"? 0%.
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net