Democratic Primaries
In reply to the discussion: Is DU out of step with the Democratic Party? [View all]TwilightZone
(25,505 posts)Obama didn't run as a progressive. I'm not sure why this myth won't die, but it's simply false.
"In his primetime introduction to the American people, giving the nominating speech at the 2004 Democratic Convention, Obama drew the loudest applause when he proclaimed, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America; there's the United States of America.
Whole chapters in his post-Senate-election book The Audacity of Hope extol the virtues of centrism condemning inflexible activists on the far right and far left for stopping progress and alienating Americans from the political process.
His first ad for president began by professing, We are one people, (an implicit dis to John Edwards two Americas riff) and then went on to establish his bipartisan bona fides, claiming that In Illinois, he brought Republicans and Democrats together, cutting taxes for workers and winning health care for children, followed by a testimonial from Republican state Sen. Kirk Dillard (a post-primary McCain delegate whos since taken heat for the ad).
Obamas primary stump speech was an attack on the partisan warfare that has paralyzed Washington and he rose in part as the alternative to Hillary Rodham Clintons reputation for polarization. He won independent voters in open Democratic primaries by two to one, and had consistent wins among conservative red state Democrats outside of Appalachia. "
https://www.politico.com/story/2008/07/obamas-steady-centrism-011880
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden