45% of the electorate identified themselves as moderate in '04

As opposed to just 21% who said Liberal and 34% who said conservative. Of the 45% that stated that they were moderate, 56% voted Democratic. Of the 21% who said they we're liberal 14% voted Republican, but 17% percent of those who called themselves conservative voted Democratic. Those numbers gives us a slight edge in the electorate, since people who are centrist voted Democratic by 13 points. To me that dispells the whole Republican myth that the Democrats are too left wing and presents the fact the Republicans are too right wing for most people.

We don't want them in the democratic party they should go to the republicans where they belong. (sarcasm of course). Moderate can cover alot of territory.

I've seen many forums with people attempting to describe how they define it. The responses are so varied, they're shocking.

A good portion of the "moderates" may actually be liberals but are not comfortable with the term because of the stigma attached to it.

can't just go by "points".

do the math...

of 1000 voters, using the percentages given above I get:

21% lib = 210 -- of whom 14% (29.4) voted republican, and assuming NOBODY voted "other" (wrong-headed assumption but useful for illustration purposes) that leaves 86% (180.6) voting democratic

45% moderate = 450 -- of whom 56% (252) voted democratic and using same assumption, other 44% (198) voted republican

34% conservative = 340 of whom 17% (57.8) voted democratic and 83% (282.2) voted republican

totaling across the republican vote you get 29.4 + 198 + 282.2 = 509.6

doing same for democrats yields 180.6 + 252 + 59.8 = 490.4

if they voted "other" in equal proportions that still gives the republicans the lead.

I suspect no matter the question, people tend to identify themselves as closer to average than they really are -- whether it's intelligence, wealth, or political views.