Is There Such a Thing as "Mainstream"?

Senator Kennedy graced us with his presence this morning to express his deep shame at the "extreme wing" of the "President's party" for providing a "litmus test" for Harriet Meiers. Senator Kennedy thinks that Americans want a "mainstream" candidate that will represent "us" on the issues that we care about. Which begs the question: what is "mainstream"?

In this instance it is easy to see that Kennedy defines 'mainstream' as someone that is pro-choice or at least will not overturn Roe v. Wade should they have an "extreme" view of abortion. How does Kennedy identify being pro-choice as being mainstream? It seems that liberals tend to call their views mainstream. If Bush were to put a "mainstream" candidate on the bench, or at least one that Kennedy would view as mainstream, Bush would essentially be putting a liberal on the bench. Why do we conservatives roll over and play dead when liberals identify what is mainstream?

Can't we as conservatives turn the tables and identify conservative issues as mainstream? If Kennedy is basing his definition of mainstream on what he thinks most Americans want, then can't we say that it is mainstream to cut pork? Or it's mainstream to expect welfare reform, to expect that food stamps not be sold for drug money? How often do we get to hear a conservative view be identified as "mainstream" in the media?