How we do it:

...On Nov. 14, [Ralph] Neas [of People for the American Way] thought he had found his smoking gun. On the front page of the Washington Times was a story leaked by the White House about a 1985 job application in which Alito had written, among other things, that "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion." By 7:45 a.m., 8,000 reporters received e-mails with a link to the story....

Neas and [Nan] Aron [of the Alliance for Justice] always thought that Alito's views on abortion should be a focal point of the opposition, but it was not a strategy their Democratic allies in the Senate embraced. Heading into the 2006 elections, the last thing they wanted was to look like a party supporting abortion on demand....

By the time confirmation hearings began last month, Democrats knew that unless Alito made a big mistake or something damaging surfaced, he would be confirmed. But while there were endless meetings among the liberal advocacy groups, there was no coordinated strategy on the committee for questioning Alito.

Abortion was ruled out as a major issue for fear of alienating moderate Democrats....

How they do it:

House Republicans eked out a victory on a $39.5 billion budget-cutting package on Wednesday, with a handful of skittish Republicans switching their votes at the last minute in opposition to reductions in spending on health and education programs.

... Determined to see the measure pass even as they knew it would make life tough for party members, Republican leaders waged their own intense lobbying campaign. Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, the Republican whip and acting majority leader, could be seen on the House floor deep in conversation with his colleagues as the roll was being called, apparently counting votes until the last minute so he could determine which moderates could be released to vote no....

There's the difference: Democrats think pleasing the base will cost them the votes of moderates -- so they back away from stands that will please the base. Republicans think pleasing the base will cost them the votes of moderates -- but they please the base anyway, freeing some party members to go against the party line but securing enough votes to, y'know, win.

The Democratic strategy would seem to be less risky at election time, but funny thing: The Republicans have been the winners in the last six congressional elections.

You don't suppose there's a lesson to be learned from that, do you?