Martin claimed that "even conservatives" in Germany are to the left of what counts for centrist in the USA,

I see it like this: When it comes to economics it is true, generally German politics is to the left of the US. But then there are some issues where it is definitely not true. For example I would say that Germans of all political persuasions have a rather restrictive few when it comes to immigration.

But all this is a little besides the point I tried to make. This is not about how German politics compares internationally, but how "centrism" is presented in the mainstream media. If some opinion is presented as "centrist" then it is most likely in the center of current pubic opinion. In the US media I have often the feeling this is not the case.