A thought I had this morning as I pondered the big national win for the "Good Guys" on Tuesday was one I had not really heard mentioned too much (although admittedly I don't watch the pundits round the clock, so maybe it has been mentioned ad nauseam?).  But it seems to me that, at least nationally, the Democrats staked a big ol' flag in the ground and have claimed the moderate/middle-of-the-road voice as their own.  If they can hold on to that claim while also holding the liberal/left base the Republicans should probably be pretty nervous for their near (and maybe long term) future, no matter what state they may be in. 

Here in TN we did not see the middle fully spill over to the Democrats, but considering how well Ford gained ground on and finished against Corker the momentum could very well be moving that way.  Considering Bredeson won in a landslide, one has to wonder how bad a whooping a white guy not named Ford with the same charisma and ideas as Ford, Jr. would have laid upon Mr. Corker.  I feel that idea is the pink elephant in the room post-election and considering the national wave of blue that swept this country I also wonder how many Corker voters may have woken up Wednesday morning thinking maybe they should have voted the other way.  Those thoughts are improvable theories and bring up questions that may never be answered, but it's probably something worth reflecting on as a state.

I believe the key to sustained Democrat success may lie in their current grip on the moderate voter and if they can continue that while not abandoning the progressives the Republicans could very well be screwed.  I know from my lurking here that this probably is something a lot of you may not ideally want, but I think we have to face facts that neither party can win nationally (or especially in TN) without securing those middle of the road votes.  If we can hang on to them through 2008 while painting the Republicans as the far extreme, out of the mainstream party it could bode very well for a presidential run in 2008.  I personally like Howard Dean (even though I can see how he turns off a lot of voters as a politician) and if this move to secure the moderates of our country has his fingerprints all over it, he's done a heck of job.  I for one hope he and the rest of us can hang on and make this last a while.