Compromise was possible

In the summer leading up to the 2008 election, the Democrats resorted to reciting their talking points and stopping all new oil exploration in Alaska or offshore. Their environmentalist base demanded that they do just that. Barack Obama, alone among the Democrats was ready to compromise on just that point. He knew very well that the party policy was a losing proposition and that the "will of the people," if there was such a thing, thought that drilling was an obvious step. Anyone who stood in the way would be shunned. Barack Obama intended to be elected, so by early August, he showed willingness to allow drilling, or to at least pretend to be willing to drill. Since Barack Obama was unencumbered by principle, this was an easy step.