This debate in the NYtimes about 'center" versus "left" draws lines in the wrong places. The real question is which liberal agenda should the Democrats focus on 1)economic class, or 2) identity politics.
Many Trump voters were alienated by the fact that the definitions of racism and sexual harassment have been radically redrawn with concepts like "micro-aggression" and "Only yes means yes (except when she's drunk)". Even those of us who recognize the legitimacy of these critiques find them painful and humiliating, especially after one realizes that they have a great deal of truth to them. However, few people are going to accept being labeled as privileged after they have just lost the job they have taken for granted for years. Those people flock to Trump because he thumbs his nose at this social revolution, saying things that would have been bigoted even by 19th century standards.
On top of that, Trump said newly poor whites are suffering, and that something needs to be done about it. He told lies about this and other issues, prompting angry denials from HRC and the mainstream media. These denials were true, but they boxed HRC into a platform that things are alright, and she would deliver more of the same.
In other words, Trump was perceived as delivering Sanders-style social justice with an accompanying freedom from political correctness. HRC was perceived as demanding white people acknowledge being racist and sexist, while offering them nothing in return. This is not remotely what she said, but this is how she was perceived. It was people identified with her who put the emphasis on identity politics, not HRC herself. And although she proposed detailed programs to help the working poor, she was afraid to talk about them in places like Kentucky and Michigan, because she was afraid they would make her sound too "liberal".
The question is thus not whether the Democrats should move "right" or "left". Sanders lost many primary voters because he said class distinctions were more important than identity politics. On this issue, however, many Trump voters agree with Sanders. They reject the label "liberal', and are suspicious of the liberal positions related to identity politics, but they want FDR style liberal programs.