Nothing succeeds like success.

There were also significant substantive changes (excising the most heinous buyouts), a demonstration of Obama's willingness to undertake real bi-partisan compromise (his executive order regarding federal abortion funding), and above all a clear demonstration that this was not just some sort of pathetic political theater all along, that it really was about getting a refrom law passed.

@2 - that's basically right, though it should be pointed out that the abortion exec order wasn't really a "bipartisan compromise," since it was done to bring anti-abortion Democrats (Stupak et al) back into the fold. The Republicans were never going to vote for this thing - actual bipartisanship isn't happening. It's also not necessary, at least in the House.

Kinaidos @2, that's a great point--especially when you talk about the Cornhusker Kickback, even though I think Charles's point is the larger truth at work here. I'll say this, though.

Ben Nelson's rotten, little deal served a useful purpose in this respect. It became a magnet for the opponents' wrath. It became the focal point of all that was wrong with the bill.

That means it served to deflect attention from the real and necessary parts of the bill that were controversial. And once it was removed, suddenly the opponents were without their favorite whipping boy.

It shows us that polls like this are all but useless except for entertainment value for political junkies.

The polls lumped two distinct opinions into a single number. Those who were against Health Care Reform and those who favor Health Care Reform, but opposed the current legislation as insufficient. Now that it has passed, those two groups are being disambiguated. Those against are still against. Those in favor approve the passage, if not the content, and are now ready to go forward.