Why is the media playing up the 'moderate/liberal' thing?

[Matariki]

I was under the impression that Hoyer is MORE 'liberal' than Murtha. I'm not even sure if the media has a working definition of 'liberal' and 'moderate' - but I REALLY suspect their motives for playing this divide - or perhaps manufacturing this divide.

From Reuters:
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=2006-11-16T173937Z_01_N15425334_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-CONGRESS-LEADERS.xml&WTmodLoc=NewsHome-C1-topNews-3

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A week after winning back control of the U.S. Congress, Democrats in the House defied incoming speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday and bypassed a vocal Iraq war critic to elevate her moderate deputy to majority leader.

It marked an embarrassing first defeat for Pelosi, a California liberal who had endorsed Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania, a key player in the anti-war effort that helped Democrats sweep to power in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The secret vote behind closed doors was 149-86.

Democrats embraced Hoyer, a Maryland moderate who has been Pelosi's deputy while she served the past three years as minority leader. The two have had a somewhat strained relationship.

[Vorta]

1. I don't think there is a hard definition

Look around here. The terminology war seems to transcend all agreement.