In an interview with ABC’s “This Week” host George Stephanopoulos, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama drew a distinction between left-wing “ideologues” and liberals like him who are a “little bit conservative” in their willingness to actually listen to opposing viewpoints. Good thing there are no left-wing ideologues among his supporters; a statement like that might have proved alienating.

A look at his voting record reveals that when he says “a little bit conservative,” he means “a little bit conservative.” Yikes.

Transcript:

SEN. BARACK OBAMA: I’m not an ideologue, never have been. Even during my younger days when I was tempted by, you know, sort of more radical or left-wing politics, there was a part of me that always was a little bit conservative in that sense, that believes that you make progress by sitting down, listening to people, recognizing everybody’s concerns, seeing other people’s points of views.