The term 'moderate hero' was coined with reference to someone else (Mark Warner, maybe? I wasn't here for it but I think I heard that that was the case), but it could just as easily have been coined with reference to Angus King.
King may have more of an excuse and be somewhat more genuine, sure, but it would be naive to argue that his status as an independent doesn't, among other things, enable him to triangulate til the cows come home. It's a different type of moderate heroism but it's still moderate heroism, essentially the Olympia Snowe schtick continued from a different angle. If you're looking for a principled moderate in the Senate these days, your best bets would probably be found a lot further west.
