After Election, Rep. Moran Cautions Vs. 'Defensiveness' on Liberal Issues

After last week's election, "We have to be careful about being defensive about being liberals," Rep. Jim Moran said in an exclusive interview with the News-Press yesterday. "Liberalism is the essence of human progress."

"We have to stay on message and work harder, and spread the word to younger voters," he said, "We have to express our ideas better and deal with the conservative control of the media, especially of radio."

"We have the vision and time will prove us right. We believe in a more inclusive society that invests in the future through education and health care," he said.

Moran said he "took issue" with some of the remarks by Former President Clinton yesterday when Clinton said the Democrats failed to blunt the advantage Republicans took from the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling legalizing gay marriage.

"I like Bill Clinton and generally agree with him, but it is not a liberal position to support decisions by the judiciary. Our system is supposed to be separate and equal. It is a radical view to advocate passing laws to overturn judicial decisions. John Kerry didn't go that far, and limited his support to civil unions. But we have to recognize that there are two cultures in America, and I represent the more enlightened and tolerant one."

"I am worried about the Bush administration push toward an 'ownership society' that will exacerbate the divide between the haves and the have-nots. Now, one percent of the population controls 30% of the wealth, and 10% controls 70%."

As for his own re-election to an eighth term last week, Moran said he was "satisfied" with 60% of the vote, despite a "very nasty and divisive mailing to Democrats encouraging them to split their vote" sent out by his opponent the Monday before the election. "The letter said basically the same thing the Washington Post has," Moran said, and he conceded it shaved some votes from his margin. "But I am pleased with the outcome, and honored to be re-elected."

Moran spoke about next year's statewide elections for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general in Virginia, about the Congressional elections of 2006, and who he likes as a Democratic standard bearer in 2008.