[VRWCisme]

There are also self-proclaimed "moderates" who actually agree with the conservatives on many things but have been brainwashed into believing that conservatives are meanspirited, closeminded, and bad, and therefore won't use the word and will admit to agreeing with conservatives only if cleverly pinned down in private conversation. I know quite a few of this type of "moderate."

[malakhi]

but have been brainwashed into believing that conservatives are meanspirited, closeminded, and bad

Right, because conservatives never do anything to fuel these stereotypes...

[GenXFreedomFighter]

I know a few like that too. To describe themselves as 'conservative' would be to define themselves as close-minded or intolerant and some would rather not be seen that way by their liberal friends.

Of course, most of the 'moderates' I know are moderate by the MSM definition: viscerally opposed to the right, but to call themselves liberal would be too constraining.