Understatement of the Day, or, Why "Middle" and "Moderate" are two different words

Unity08 wants to create, by webroots (yes, I just made that word up: cite me!), a bipartisan presidential ticket for 2008. As David Broder points out

The practical difficulties facing the venture are enormous. Persuading prominent figures to submit their names for consideration will not be easy. ... it would be a huge risk for Republicans or Democrats who have been elected to a position of responsibility to abandon their party and run under the Unity08 banner.

There's your understatement. The article repeats the canard that internet users are "younger" when surveys have shown a remarkably wide range of ages and professions among us bloggerly types.

Then, of course, there's the problem of concept v. execution: what "moderates" are going to take such a radical step, and will they really be campaigning toward the middle?

Non Sequitur: Brett's got the lyrics to The Deepest Shelter In Town, which reminds me, in a roundabout way, of Shel Silverstein's I'm Standing on the Outside of your Shelter, as sung by Fred Hellerman.

Non Sequitur redux: Ozarque's got some great links up: on credulity in children, framing immigration and other issues, and cute, free toys. Also, because everyone's going to be linking to some version of it, Avedon Carol's commentary on RFK, Jr's election theft report and one lame attempt at rebuttal.