kane

Nixon actually coined the term (I believe), but it is pretty commonly referred to during elections. I once read an interview with Carl Rove where he talked about the general republican strategy he uses. He referred to independents as the silent majority several times, but said that his basic strategy was to pander to the base and ignite the culture war to fire up the hardcore conservatives then move just enough to the center to get some of the more right leaning independents and then hope for rain on election day. The idea being that the hardcore conservatives are passionate and organized and they will turn out on election day whereas the liberals might see it is raining and stay home and light up a bong. The lower the turn out the better the republican's chances of winning.