Obama is a lot less liberal than most people realize. Yes, he is a Democrat and believes in liberal ideals, but his actual positions are closer to center than the "liberal/conservative ranking" reports would have you believe.
Look at his health care plan, for example. The far left idea would be either a single-payer system or mandated coverage like Hillary's plan. Obama's plan creates a National Health Insurance Exchange, which establishes a baseline of service. Private insurance companies can participate in the exchange if they meet that baseline level of service and receive subsidies, just like the government's plan. This way, they can compete with the government's plan and each other on a level playing field to drive costs down through competition. IMO it's a good mix of regulation and free market principles, and a perfect example of how Obama isn't afraid to listen to the other side and try to incorporate their ideas.
