The one bit of political communications advice I am very confident of: if you are on offense you sound like a winner and if you are on defense you sound like a loser. Incoherent mushy middle views make you sound like a loser, constantly, as most people don't have the skills to do it well.
So much wise highly paid political advice begins with "assume our candidate is peak Bill Clinton or Barack Obama." They could pull off making the center square sound inclusive instead of off-putting. Most people who try this just sound like losers who believe in nothing.
Candidates without superpowers need to choose a side.