insightful on Obama; confused on Bush

From the editorialists at the C-J...

During the presidential campaign, right-wing backers of the Republican ticket trumpeted the claim that Barack Obama was the most liberal member of the Senate and warned darkly of "socialism" under an Obama administration.

You don't hear much of that silliness now. One big reason is that Mr. Obama seems determined to govern from the center....

Agree and disagree. He's governing (wisely) from the center so far. But it was not silly to imagine leftist politics from Obama-- especially since all he had to do, on many issues, was to emulate Bush. Obama promised a lot of that during his campaign, especially during the primary season. But then he tacked toward the center on a number of issues, including Iraq and tax cuts. Governing from the center gives him the best op to avoid Congressional carnage in 2010 and to gain reelection for himself in 2012.

Finally, it should be remembered that Mr. Bush governed from the right. Change doesn't require veering to the left. It can, and should, come from a reinvigorated center.

Mr. Bush was on the right? How so? He is in the center on Iraq and tax cuts-- at least as defined by the C-J in categorizing Obama. Spending? Regulation? Bush was a social conservative to little effect, except appointing some "conservative" judges. Other than that, how can you call him a conservative?