But under Obama, such elements of the party have crawled towards extinction. Since 2009, for example, the number of Blue Dog Democrats in Congress, a grouping of moderates, has dropped from 54 to a mere 15. The broader New Democrat movement, which was spearheaded by Bill Clinton and of which I was a part, has already all but dissipated.

Some middle-of-the road Democrats, of course, may somehow survive this year’s election; it will generally be due to the awfulness of Republican candidates or the presence of independents that could draw from the GOP base. But the overall Obamaism has redefined the Democrats from a broad national party to one that is essentially bicoastal, and urban.

Nowhere is this shift more evident than in energy policy. Tough controls on carbon emissions appeal to the well-educated urban liberals, mainstream media, entertainment and downtown real estate developers who are their main funders – all primary funding sources.