"Playing to the base often wins elections." From the Chambers Thesaurus . . . base (adjective): abject, contemptible, despicable, wicked, corrupt, immoral, evil, vile, reprobate, vulgar, shameful, sordid, depraved, unprincipled, disgraceful, disreputable, wretched, worthless, ignominious, infamous, scandalous, low, lowly, low-minded, mean, miserable, pitiful, poor, valueless That is the Democratic "base."