Disgruntled liberals wonder: What does Obama stand for?

In interviews, a variety of political activists, operatives and commentators from across the party’s ideological spectrum presented similar descriptions of Obama’s predicament: By declining to speak clearly and often about his larger philosophy — and insisting that his actions are guided not by ideology but a results-oriented “pragmatism” — he has bred confusion and disappointment among his allies, and left his agenda and motives vulnerable to distortion by his enemies…

At first blush, it is a mystery: How could a political leader preside over nearly a trillion dollars in stimulus and other spending, and pass overhauls of the health care and financial services sectors, but still leave many of his own supporters uncertain of his larger aims?

“He hasn’t sought, I think, to bring coherence to the achievements of the last 20 months,” said former Democratic senator and presidential candidate Gary Hart, adding that “it would not hurt” to do so soon.

“What may be missing from the White House is a clear and convincing narrative into which all the various initiatives neatly fit, so that the public can make sense of everything that’s done,” said Robert Reich, a former labor secretary under Bill Clinton and frequent commentator.