...because it's tough to stick to the issues...

[IBCoupe]

But that doesn't really speak to ideological bias. That speaks of strongarm tactics.

[audtatious]

How can you tell what his real bias is when he says one thing and does something else and then flips flops around other things while bringing in a whole bunch of socialist/communist ideologues to work under him? "Hey, look at me!!! I'm a Moderate...NO, don't look at the people I work with to make judgment calls"...

Realize, being able to "verbalizes his understanding of issues" means nothing if you have no idea what his real stance is on the issue nor what direction he will head. For the most part, looking back at his voting record alone, you can assume "ultra liberal" is a possibility.

[IBCoupe]

Because the things you point to as "flip flops" have nothing to do with ideology.

I look at the policies he enacts. A binary yes/no doesn't help, no matter how many times you count them up. I look at Republicans who think he's too liberal, and I look at Democrats who think he's too Conservative.

[audtatious]

Might be enough for you to make a determination of some specificity but not to me. But, hey, we are two different people and that's absolutely OK.