Dems hope to taint Romney with health law praise

President Barack Obama and other top Democrats have lavished praise on former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney for signing the health care law in 2006 that laid the groundwork for Obama's national health care overhaul.

Democrats are hoping to taint Romney by tying him too closely to a highly unpopular law among GOP voters.

But some analysts are wondering if Democrats are stretching, especially if Romney wins the Republican nomination for president and has to reach out to independents and moderate Democrats.

They say all that praise could help Romney if those voters start warming to the national law and its Massachusetts precedent.

Romney continues to walk a fine line on the 2006 law, cautiously defending his decision to sign it even as he calls for a repeal of the national law.