I don't know maybe people expected Conan to grow up a little and do a show in the Tonight show format rather than Late Nite with Conan O'brien at an earlier time. Because that is basically what it was.

Conan's ratings sucked and leno's ratings sucked at the earlier time so they figured they could kill tow birds with one stone by moving conan back a bit later.

Me i always loved the wackiness of Conan at the later timeslot but never got to see him really on the tonight show since i almost exclusively find myself wanting to watch comedy later, primetime to me is full of lame comedy.

Also Conan really does not wear his Politics on his sleeve the way Leno does, i hate that and i am not even a republican conservative.