cos

I noticed that particular difference very early in the contest (certainly before the super-Tuesday). And I am sure it was a big part of Obama's appeal to independents in the open primaries. He did not look like a usual democrat to them. More progressive than Clinton, but at the same time trying not to force people to do things they don't like. And some people on the left also liked the idea of trying not to use force.. After all those Clinton-Bush years many people were tired of the government using excessive force all the time..

I certainly made a point of quoting this to people as yet another reason why he was better than Clinton. All that was quite early in the primary season (I was still campaigning for Obama actively at that point).

It was quite late in the game when he suggested he might be open to a mandate. I still remember my disappointment. Yet, at that moment he still was preferring the voluntary scheme, he was just "open to a mandate".

I think I am starting to better understand the current opposition to the reform. No wonder if quite a few voters feel cheated because of Obama's shifting position on the mandate. I, somehow, have not considered this aspect until now. But I can see it: they voted for a guy who was saying something different, and that looked attractive, and now they feel they've been manipulated..