The other possibility for Hillary is that she was too clever by half. Knowing the success of Bill's triangulation strategy, she tried doing it even before she got into office. Bad mistake.

Right from the start she envisioned running in the general election--when you have to run to the center usually.

However, you do have to get your party's nomination first.   So you have to get the true believers in passion-generating issues on your side.   She turned off the anti-war people bigtime. Obama welcomed them. And after 8 years of GWB, huge numbers were ready for "change".

Then McCain self-destructed by proving clueless at the height of the financial crisis. And that, more than anything else, made the difference for Obama.