Lawn Mower Cord Won't Pull Out?

I have a Honda self-propelled lawn mower. At the end of last use, the self-propel stopped and it smelled like burned rubber. I checked the oil, which is fine, checked the blades, no blockage or build-up on inside of mower, and the belt looks fine (I thought the belt might be hung up on something or broken, but it looks O.K.) I can turn the blades manually with no problem. The spark plug is new. The cord is extremely difficult to pull and I can't get it all the way out. Also, when looking under the mower, what is the best way to tip the mower? Lift the front, or turn it on its side?

By Nutty Nana