For these pundits, the labels "moderate" versus "left" are floating signifiers. As soon as Mamdani became popular, Chait hailed him as "the centrist we have been waiting for." "Moderate" functions as a downstream effect of public support, and cannot explain it.
Guy who has only seen the 2016 Democratic primary: I'm getting a lot of 2016 Democratic primary vibes from this election.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1...
November 15, 2026 at 12:16 PM
For these pundits, the labels "moderate" versus "left" are floating signifiers. As soon as Mamdani became popular, Chait hailed him as "the centrist we have been waiting for." "Moderate" functions as a downstream effect of public support, and cannot explain it.
Hello Kirk. One PS2 food item that restores a moderate amount of health for me, welcome back
November 15, 2026 at 7:48 PM
Hello Kirk. One PS2 food item that restores a moderate amount of health for me, welcome back
A periodic reminder that guillotines are the moderate solution
❗White House Counsel William Scharf letter to incoming Congressional majority threatens lawmakers with criminal prosecution.⬇️
Legally repulsive letter, ignores Constitution (Speech or Debate Clause), may trigger law against "corruptly" by "threatening letter or communication" obstructing Congress.
Legally repulsive letter, ignores Constitution (Speech or Debate Clause), may trigger law against "corruptly" by "threatening letter or communication" obstructing Congress.
November 11, 2026 at 1:27 PM
A periodic reminder that guillotines are the moderate solution
I'm going to be very brief and moderate in my response to this information: I hope you rot for eternity.
November 15, 2026 at 4:32 PM
I'm going to be very brief and moderate in my response to this information: I hope you rot for eternity.
💯 Medicare for all is the moderate pro-business pro-people position
Opposing it is the radical corporation-bought stance
Opposing it is the radical corporation-bought stance
November 12, 2026 at 5:12 PM
💯 Medicare for all is the moderate pro-business pro-people position
Opposing it is the radical corporation-bought stance
Opposing it is the radical corporation-bought stance
It's an unserious position because it's unfalsifiable. If the left loses, the answer is for Democrats to moderate. If the left wins, the answer is for Democrats to moderate. There's no null hypothesis and so we can throw the whole thing away
November 12, 2026 at 3:11 PM
It's an unserious position because it's unfalsifiable. If the left loses, the answer is for Democrats to moderate. If the left wins, the answer is for Democrats to moderate. There's no null hypothesis and so we can throw the whole thing away
Uh no they didn’t? Moderate dems lost widely this election cycle to progressives.
November 13, 2026 at 5:48 PM
Uh no they didn’t? Moderate dems lost widely this election cycle to progressives.
always instructive to remember what happened to charles
November 12, 2026 at 6:25 PM
The Left’s Election Denial:
The Democrats’ most impressive victories in 2026 came from mainstream or moderate candidates.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1...
The Democrats’ most impressive victories in 2026 came from mainstream or moderate candidates.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1...
The Left’s Election Denial
The Democrats’ most impressive victories in 2026 came from mainstream or moderate candidates.
www.theatlantic.com
November 12, 2026 at 1:02 AM
The Left’s Election Denial:
The Democrats’ most impressive victories in 2026 came from mainstream or moderate candidates.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1...
The Democrats’ most impressive victories in 2026 came from mainstream or moderate candidates.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/1...
Other moderate incumbents are King, Coons, and Warner
November 13, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Other moderate incumbents are King, Coons, and Warner
What's scarier to see on a dating app profile under "political views": "moderate" or "not political"
November 14, 2026 at 6:37 PM
What's scarier to see on a dating app profile under "political views": "moderate" or "not political"
Yeah, nationalizing SpaceX is the moderate position.
November 14, 2026 at 1:37 AM
Yeah, nationalizing SpaceX is the moderate position.
He's right! For years the media has called Tom Emmer a "moderate Republican" but he's pretty clearly established himself as "an unhinged extremist and gutter bigot"
Emmer: "We've gotta start using the language. They're so good at creating the narrative. It is not 'healthcare for all.' It is 'government-only healthcare.' We gotta start calling these things for what they are."
November 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM
He's right! For years the media has called Tom Emmer a "moderate Republican" but he's pretty clearly established himself as "an unhinged extremist and gutter bigot"
ya they effectively only had 60 (which included party switching moderate Republican Arlen Specter) for like 7 months? bsky.app/profile/s73v...
Wasn’t half that time waiting for Al Franken to be seated? And then after that Sen. Kennedy died?
November 13, 2026 at 6:06 AM
ya they effectively only had 60 (which included party switching moderate Republican Arlen Specter) for like 7 months? bsky.app/profile/s73v...
Moderate dems are already tired of winning
November 15, 2026 at 12:12 AM
Moderate dems are already tired of winning
"us" send risk: low-to-moderate
November 12, 2026 at 3:42 AM
"us" send risk: low-to-moderate
fascinating to look at this roster as a look into a much different set of political coalitions. northeastern liberal republicans! moderate arkansas democrats!
November 13, 2026 at 7:03 PM
fascinating to look at this roster as a look into a much different set of political coalitions. northeastern liberal republicans! moderate arkansas democrats!
Throughout his tenure, Jim Abeler has been labeled a “moderate” because sometimes he’d vote for DFL bills on the floor (which were going to pass anyway). He is anything but a moderate, it just took us beating him for his public mask to finally slip.
Sen. Jim Abeler thinks a test is required to vote, claiming people who voted Democrat "had no concept of who they are voting for."
More: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/minnesota-republican-who-lost-re-election-thinks-americans-should-have-to-pass-a-test-to-vote
More: https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/minnesota-republican-who-lost-re-election-thinks-americans-should-have-to-pass-a-test-to-vote
November 14, 2026 at 7:04 PM
Throughout his tenure, Jim Abeler has been labeled a “moderate” because sometimes he’d vote for DFL bills on the floor (which were going to pass anyway). He is anything but a moderate, it just took us beating him for his public mask to finally slip.
This face: moderate perturbation 🧡
November 13, 2026 at 10:26 PM
This face: moderate perturbation 🧡
This is something that has deeply annoyed me about how people in political analysis, media, and politics are describing, say, Talarico as a “moderate.” He ran as a populist liberal in Texas
Give Mehdi 10 minutes and he’ll give you 8 reasons why the myth of progressive underperformance in the midterms is a lie - complete with actual facts and evidence, unlike the centrist Twitter warriors who cherry-pick numbers to support their bogus claims. WATCH: www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqKw...
Debunked! Mehdi Dismantles the Myth of Progressive ‘Underperformance’ in the Midterms
YouTube video by Zeteo
www.youtube.com
November 14, 2026 at 1:33 PM
This is something that has deeply annoyed me about how people in political analysis, media, and politics are describing, say, Talarico as a “moderate.” He ran as a populist liberal in Texas
Pundits love to fall into the progressive vs. moderate debate, but Americans seem much less interested in those labels.
November 12, 2026 at 3:57 PM
Pundits love to fall into the progressive vs. moderate debate, but Americans seem much less interested in those labels.
BENNY JOHNSON: Would you be in favor of a burka ban here in America, or at least in Minnesota?
TOM EMMER: There should be no burkas. There should be nothing like that allowed. It's pure stupidity to say 'this is what they believe.' Really? Over 80% of this population is on welfare programs.
TOM EMMER: There should be no burkas. There should be nothing like that allowed. It's pure stupidity to say 'this is what they believe.' Really? Over 80% of this population is on welfare programs.
November 12, 2026 at 5:39 PM
Blumenthal was a moderate, too!
November 12, 2026 at 3:34 AM
Blumenthal was a moderate, too!
Demanding criminal investigations for Elon Musk and his DOGE-bags is the moderate position.
Don’t let oligarch-worshipping pundits tell you otherwise.
Don’t let oligarch-worshipping pundits tell you otherwise.
Opinion | Elon Musk's campaign spending isn't the issue. DOGE's lawlessness is.
Anthony L. Fisher: Investigating Elon Musk's DOGE crime-spree isn't a radical idea. It's a moderate position.
www.ms.now
November 12, 2026 at 8:28 PM
Demanding criminal investigations for Elon Musk and his DOGE-bags is the moderate position.
Don’t let oligarch-worshipping pundits tell you otherwise.
Don’t let oligarch-worshipping pundits tell you otherwise.
Moderate Dems are different these days
Billionaires borrow against their wealth TAX-FREE to pay for their lifestyle. Meanwhile, you’re paying taxes on every paycheck. I’ve got a bill to close that loophole and make billionaires pay their fair share.
November 10, 2026 at 3:10 AM
Moderate Dems are different these days