Baby Steps

It pays to be a liberal Democrat:

This morning, when Dems met behind closed doors to get ready for the vote, members gave a standing ovation to the three key liberals who helped make this bill possible: Barbara Lee, Lynn Woolsey and Maxine Waters.

The kicker: All three were preparing to vote against the bill, and everyone there suspected as much -- but the three were applauded anyway.

The scene -- which was recounted in Congress Daily (sub. only) and confirmed to me by a Hill source -- was a reminder of the strange route House Dems took to passage of this milestone bill. As reported here yesterday, the three key liberal members decided at the last minute to back the bill. But because they wanted to oppose the bill themselves as a matter of conscience because it lacked the tough language enforcing withdrawal that they wanted, they went to other liberal members of the Out of Iraq caucus and let them know that they'd have no problem if they voted for it.

"These three went and got enough other votes to provide a margin of victory beyond their own three No votes," the source says. Thus the standing ovation for them.

I love it when liberals show that they have the political will and deft, legislative shrewdness to score a win for the cause.

In the end, this is exactly how we will prevail...