I agree with a lot of what Masshole and Beet are saying. Just one caveat; Obama isn't changing his strategy because he wants to reach out to Republicans; he is changing his strategy because he doesn't have support for the full plan he wants from Senatet Democrats. For all the fire and brimstone rained down at townhalls and voiced by Republican opposition, Obama didn't lose the public option because of Dick Army or Death Panelers or grumpy seniors who were misled about the bill or Chuck Grassley, he lost it because of Kent Conrad and Max Baucus. And when you don't have the votes and it's down to chosing between a watered-down win and a complete failure, you have no choice but to go for the watered-down win. Obama is not a kamikaze pilot, he is a politician who has one election left to win. And if this whole thing ends in complete failure, again it will not be because Republicans won, it will be because House Democrats refuse a compromise bill.
My gosh, what a sensible post elucidating what would seem to me the obvious. Kudos sir. You were needed!
Team Obama and the Dems got a touch of hubris from the last election. I suspect they are over it now.
