Let's hope they're not listening,,,

...to Peggy Noonan. Not that there's much risk, given that she sounds somewhat rational on the call for a confirmation fight over Sonia Sotomayor...

Excite the base? How about excite a moderate, or interest an independent? How about gain the attention of people who aren't already on your side?

I've never really understood the whole "excite the base" strategy, anyway. Isn't the "base" supposed to be made up of folks who are with you regardless? Democrats call 'em yellow dogs, Republicans call 'em, what? Lunatics? They sure spend enough time howling at the moon...