That is a very important distinction. You shouldn’t moderate your beliefs, or principles. In fact if you do that is blood in the water to libs. But they can’t handle them either, and it will also function to infuriate them.
Moderate the tone, stay unemotional, and the lib will appear out of control.
McLame, Romney, or Boehner fail because they make the mistake of moderating their beliefs. Then they just come across as weak kneed RINOs.