'Triangulation' began and ended with Bill Clinton. To ascribe such to others either before (Carter) or after (Obama) is a violent misprision. As but one example, Romney's healthcare plan was a result of Democratic lawmakers in Massachusetts putting Romney into a full nelson when he was Governor. Romney put his name to it after concluding he had no other choice. So to hold it up as an example of 'triangulation' is a mistake.

Furthermore 'triangulation' is not Democratic centrism. 'Triangulation' is political centrism.

And, finally, to the extent that 'triangulation' caused Republicans to do anything at all, it is result of their wholesale dis-belief --not entirely unmerited--in Clinton's sincerity. Newt Gingrich called both Clintons 'counter-cultural McGoverniks' and thought the tactics employed mere smokescreen for their 'real' political leanings. So the Right, in fact, did believe that a 'comparable move towards the far left' was underway.