One begins to get the impression of :
1) A sense both of urgency and of being left behind in Manned space vis-a-vis potential competition.
and
2) a determination not to lose "the lead"/monopoly in Space of NASA to commercial competitirs such as SPACE-X.
I see that whereas before only SPACE X under COTS-D had a dual-purpose (Soyuz/Progress type) Spacecraft, now SPACE X' "rival/Competitor"
Orbital Scences is modifying thir own ISS supply spacecraft for the manned transportaion role as well! This is despite neither having a specfic contract for same! VERY unusual!
On the other hand rumblings from Congress and the Senate indicate a determination for NASA to retain its monopoly regardless of the delays and $-flavoured sucking sounds, entailed by doing so.
I await the first "unauthorised" docking of a commercial spacecraft via an "unauthorised" launch with much anticipation!
I'd be interested to know if Elon Musk was inspired by Robert Heinlein's "The Man that sold the Moon" short story....