While Clinton appealed to the American center ideologically – through issues as well as rhetoric – Obama appealed to the center only rhetorically. That is, Obama did not embrace a centrist policy agenda during the campaign, or after. Instead, he appealed to the center by emphasizing to no end that he would move in a different direction than the unpopular President Bush. It was enough to win without compromising himself as the die-hard liberal we all knew him to be.
Consequently, Obama has not pursued a centrist policy agenda that would produce bi-partisan support.
In my opinion, the characterization of obama as a "die-hard liberal" is false. Anyone who gives away as much money to giant corporations as Barry does is not a liberal. But I may be wrong, maybe the two aren't mutually exclusive. But I think liberals would be seen as pro-big government, not pro-big corporation.
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Barack/Barry: If you're NOT LEGIT, then you MUST QUIT!!