What is the "base" and who represents it?

Yesterday Senator Russ Feingold attempted to introduce a measure to censure President George W. Bush. It was rejected by the Democratic lawmakers. Joe Gandelman described it as a Political Boomerang . The Washington Post said A Senate Maverick Acts to Force an Issue.

Democrat Feingold's Motion to Censure the President Roils Both Parties
For months the Democrats have resisted calls from their liberal base to more aggressively challenge President Bush. Now a maverick Democratic senator from Wisconsin has forced his party and Congress to confront head-on the question of whether Bush should somehow be punished for secretly ordering warrantless wiretaps of U.S. citizens.

John Aravosis tells us what's wrong with the post story:

Calls from their "liberal base?" Really? Where did you get that from? Seriously. I want facts. How did the Washington Post determine that it was the "liberal base" of the Democratic party that has been the driving force calling for Dems to challenge President Bush?

Actual real-life surveys show that most Democrats, and most Independents, have had it with Bush. Not just liberal Democrats, but all Democrats, and even most Independents.

So, seriously, where did the Washington Post get the facts to justify the very first line of its front page story about Senator Feingold? Nowhere, that's where.

They just made it up.

That's right, over 60% of the American people disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing. Over 50% think George W. Bush lied about the reasons for invading Iraq. Nearly 60% think he has no plan for Iraq. He is under increasing attack from members of his own party.

If this turns out to be a "political boomerang" as Joe says it won't be because Feingold introduced the measure but because the gutless members of his own party refused to support him. Is there something wrong with trying to please the base when that base makes up of 50% of the American people?

Ara Rubyan got it right when he commented on Joe's post.

Bottom line: Feingold is speaking from the heart -- something other Democrats can't (or won't) do, much to their detriment. People can spot a phony and it ain't Feingold.

Not only that: The law is on Feingold's side. The polls are on Feingold's side. The people are on Feingold's side.

Update
Busy Busy Busy reminds us that Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who refused to support Sen. Russ Feingold’s resolution censuring Bush, introduced a resolution censuring Bill Clinton in 1999.
Hat tip to firedoglake