"We thought it was time to make peace with the merchant community, which is an important constituency."

Many appeals tonight were aimed at, and delivered by, working women, an important Democratic constituency.

Now we have returned to the more traditional approach - immediate gain for important constituencies.

Is its most important constituency still workers and state employees, or young founders of Internet companies with progressive ideas?

Business groups, an important constituency for the governor, have fought hard against an increase.

The Administration is already in hot water with one important constituency.

This official described the military as "the most important political constituency in China."

Yet to a constituency important to the country out of all proportion to its numbers, this appointment is critical.

Mercury is also an issue among another important constituency: women.

What has changed in politics is not that events like this, which can still rally an important constituency, mean less than they used to.