There has been a long, endless debate in the democratic party about whether we should head to the center and get more "swing voters" or if we should head more to the left and bring out the base.
I don't think that's the issue. Take 2000, Gore was plenty liberal, but he lost a big amount of his liberal base because of his lack of new, innovative ideas. In 2004 most polls show the "in the center canidate" lieberman losing easily agianst bush.
Using Idealogical rhetoric and plain stances doesn't mean you'll win that group. You can say you want to close the gap between the rich and the poor and say you're your for gun control and even offer plans for both but your still a bueraucrat who won't get liberal strength. You can be a republican-lite who agrees with them but just not as much and you won't gain independent votes.
The point is that Democrats need to offer plans that don't just bash some group that is lobbyied against by some special interest group(aside from lying companies) but, you offer constructive plans that help all of america.
Canidates need to combine this with entusiastic campaigning and excell. Bill Clinton did this. He knew that you have to respect all americans and stand up for their values.
This exactly what this party needs. I hope that you remember it.