A nuanced understanding of a Reagan comparison

Remember when Obama got grilled for saying the Republican party was the "party of ideas" for the last 10 or 15 years and said that Reagan changed the trajectory of our nation in a way Nixon and Clinton didn't. I must say that I enjoyed the statement and do believe that democrats should embrace Reagan comparisons and understand them in a nuanced way. Here is the way in which Obama is/should be like Reagan:

1. Reagan was running as a republican at a time when the democrat in the white house was extremely unpopular and even democrats were ready for change and unhappy with their party. Obama is running as a democrat where the republican in the white house is extremely unpopular and even republicans are ready for change and unhappy with their party.

2. Reagan was very charismatic and ran on change, almost as an outside. Obama is possibly even more charismatic and is running on change, and framing himself as an outsider.

3. Reagan had vast national appeal and changed the political map despite not being the centrist candidate in his party. Due to his likeability and inspiring of optimism in america he was able to get elected and get bipartisan support for very partisan ideas. If this holds true, Obama (even though generally on the left of Hilary) may be able to change the political map and take back states thought not in play (Hilary is already conceding many of these states in the general). He is very likeable and inspires optimism so he may be able to push through very liberal/partisan idea with bipartisan support. that is what obama means by forming a bipartisan coalition for change; not pandering and running to the center (ala Bill Clinton) but being so persuasive that even those of the other party go along with your agenda.

That is what I think Obama needs to/can do and what makes him different that Bill Clinton. Clinton had to offer change and hope by having such centrist policies that everyone could find something they liked. Obama, like Reagan, is using his charisma to make his political opponents to support him.

I think it's a good and apt comparison to make and I hope democrats understand the nuance behind it and embrace because comparing obama to reagan could also convince old Reagan supporters to come back to the democratic party