I don't want to even make it sound like a conspiracy or something, theres a real audience among liberals for someone who will whitewash American conservativism so that it feels less alarming to libs

yea the political economy of it is sound

He more or less admits to your points in a “know your enemy” interview a few years ago.

This IMO was the real failing of The West Wing, the fantasy of Republicans like Ainsley Hayes (who was repugnant even as a watered-down Republican, but less so than her real life counterparts) and Cliff Calley and the dude who returned the presidency to Bartlet after Bartlet invoked the 25th.

I mean, who will be the party for rich people when the GOP goes full MAGA?

Yeah, he's a jester.

Where "liberals" means people who think Joe Lieberman and Lawrence Summers could have solved all our problems if we gave them a chance

Thought that was NPR’s job.

I’m sure upper management likes him a lot