It seems like what you're really criticizing the Dems for is their desire to get re-elected. The memes you talk about are not just republican ones, they are american ones. You'd find it hard to get elected if you completely ignored the things that americans (half of them, at least) profess to care about. Hence why Kucinich is not president.

I suppose Obama could have pulled the ol' switcheroo on america, but that would have guaranteed the dems stay out of the white house for white some time.