Outwardly the yanks do seem bonkers, the truth is the vast majority just get on with their life's much the same as us.
I've worked with quite a few over recent years and most I've meet genuinely dispare at the circus that is US politics.
Anyone that has any sense can see that Dem = good / Rep = bad or vice vercer narrative is for the die hard loons to lap up, and energise them.
I'm genuinely interested in politics and the games that are played and quite enjoy digging deeper, but I get frustrated with the amount of frankly BS that gets bandied about as fact, its probably put out there to obscure.
I grew up going on CND Marches with my mum so I definitely had a left of centre upbringing, although I find the current crop of politicians underwhelming at best and probably criminal at worst.
Just go end,
The quote from Obamas book says : as a Liberal president i couldn't afford to look soft on terrorism.
Its a little different to your interpretation.