I actually knew that, just wanted you to confirm it.

Being a supporter of JRE myself, for many reasons, UHC was not the deciding factor.  We both know ONLY DK's plan was actually universal single payer health care.

John Edwards "claimed" to have the same mandate as Hillary Clinton does, but a closer look at his plan, tells a different story.

http://www.johnedwards.com/about/issues/ health-care-overview.pdfboth

Finally: Individual Responsibility. Once insurance is affordable, everyone will be expected to take responsibility for themselves and their families by obtaining health coverage. Some Americans will obtain coverage from public programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP and others will get coverage through their jobs. Other families can buy insurance through the regional Health Care Markets. Special exemptions will be available in cases of extreme financial hardship or religious beliefs.

Here then is Hillary's health care plan. It does have a "mandate", but no reference to what steps would be taken if people did not purchase coverage.

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/feature/he althcareplan/americanhealthchoicesplan.p df

Hillary Clinton's American Health
Choices Plan is based on the principle of shared responsibility. This plan ensures that all who benefit
from the system contribute to its financing and management. Specifically, responsibilities include:
* Insurance and Drug Companies: For insurers, to end discrimination based on pre-existing
conditions or expectations of illness and ensure high value for every premium dollar; and
for drug companies, to offer fair prices and accurate information;
* Individuals: To get and keep insurance in a system where insurance is affordable and
accessible;

In Obama's plan there is no "expectation" or "mandate", (except for children which makes perfect sense) there is an "assumption", an assumption that if given the chance to purchase affordable insurance, people will do so.

http://www.barackobama.com/issues/pdf/He althCareFullPlan.pdf

The Obama plan will guarantee coverage for every American through partnerships
among employers, private health plans, the federal government, and the states. The plan both builds on and improves our current insurance system, which most Americans continue to rely upon, and leaves Medicare intact for older and disabled Americans. Under the Obama plan, Americans will be able to maintain their current coverage if they
choose to, and will see the quality of their health care improve and their costs go down.
The Obama plan also addresses the large gaps in coverage that leave 47 million Americans  uninsured. Specifically, the Obama plan will:
(1) establish a new public insurance program, available to Americans who neither qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP nor have access to insurance through their employers, as well as to small businesses that want to offer insurance to their employees;
(2) create a National Health Insurance
Exchange to help Americans and businesses that want to purchase private health insurance directly;
(3) require all employers to contribute towards health coverage for their employees or towards the cost of the public plan ;
(4) mandate all children have health care coverage;
(5) expand eligibility for the Medicaid and SCHIP programs; and
(6) allow flexibility for state health reform plans.

NONE of these plans, (save Kucinich)  are UNIVERSAL, let that be clear right now. ALL of these plans are very similar and after actually reading them there is not a hairs breadth difference between them.  Reading IS fundamental and rather than listening to pundits or politicians, an actual assessment of their plans will tell you that as a health care user (patient) there is no discernible difference.  So it is really disingenuous to claim that one plan is so inferior to another that it becomes a non starter for you.

All three, (JE, HC, BO) plans are linked above and though it is dry and boring reading, you would do yourself a favor by actually reading them and becoming a more informed voter.

A few closing thoughts, and personal points.  As a retired American citizen, presently covered by Medicare ((which is optional and not mandatory)), who is about to move overseas, I'm wondering, since portability is a major issue for me, will I have to continue to pay for Medicare, even though it will not pay any of my medical bills out of country?  Under HC's plan apparently yes, though I'm not sure how she will enforce that mandate against me short of garnishing my Social Security check.  I do know under BO's plan I could just opt out of Medicare and buy insurance in the country I will be living in.

Finally we all know a President does not write or create law, so the chances of any of these plans coming to fruition without wholesale changes made by the Congress is practically nil.

The remaining question should be:  who is more likely to get a decent plan through the Legislature.  Judging both by past and present performance I think Obama holds the edge on that point.