"The idea, as far as I can determine, was to sell the liberal group on those aspects of Obama’s plan that are a break from George W. Bush’s policies, and to sell the centrist group on the toughness of the president’s approach and the fact that it squares with Bush’s more moderate moves later in his second term. The dual selling job was helped along immensely by former Vice President Dick Cheney’s attacks on Obama right after the president delivered his own speech."
