"Revenge of the center"

Dionne.

This election was the revenge of the center no less than it was the revenge of the left. The decisive votes cast on Tuesday came from moderates and independents whom the exit polls showed favoring Democratic House candidates by margins of about 3-to-2. . .

[M]any of the party's successful candidates ran as moderates, and Democrats hold power on the basis of a loan of votes from middle-of-the-road Americans who simply could not stomach Bush Republicanism anymore. The loan can be recalled at any moment. . .

This election creates an exceptional opportunity to move away from blind ideology to problem solving and from stupid divisiveness to a politics of remedy and reconciliation. The Democrats had better make it work.

As Bush starts thinking about his legacy, maybe there is some hope that those in positions of power will start thinking a little bit more about what is good for the country and its citizens, and a little bit less about what is good for the party and the individual politician. But I'm not going to bet on it.

(For cross-post at Centerfield and comments posted there, click here.)