The timing is reversed? Obama ran v liberal against Hilary, as a strong liberal on finance and healthcare v McCain, and won several liberal policy battles. After thermostatic wipeout in the house, ran against Romney as a women-hating financier and won personally while blue dogs failed to recover
You're saying we should run back 2012, I'm saying we should try 2008
Obama (Clinton too!) ran on a much more centrist health care plan in 2008 than the 90s D proposal (the Health Security Act), Obama said he was against gay marriage in 2008 when he was previously for it in 2004, Obama talked tough and was the "deporter in chief" on immigration... probably more!
The big left-side Obama vibe was that he was against the Iraq War, and I'd say that in 2008 that was a stance closer to the median voter than Clinton or other Ds.
It was finance and banking as well, then healthcare. The 90s proposal is not really relevant as it never got anywhere close to off the ground. "Deporter-in-chief" was right before Trump! Obama did not "talk tough" on immigration before 2012 or against Romney. I get the feeling you're younger?
Depends on how you define "young" During the election Obama said his top immigration priority was securing the border, and right after he got elected he said immigrants had to speak English to get legal status, which I consider centrist at least at the time www.yahoo.com/news/fact-ch...