Yesterday, I made an effort to analyze the result of the Iraq res tourney without benefit of the Congressional Record.

A new day dawns - and the Record descends like manna from on high. A modest amount of light is shed.

On the reason why the debate was on a bill, S 470, rather than a res, like S Con Res 7 - though each had the same text: it seems that resolutions are harder to amend than bills; and that it was intended all along that the ultimate legislative product (if any) would be a con res.

A couple of days ago a certain sage of the Capitol opined thus:

I assume that, given McConnell's strategy, cloture on the MTP will zip through.

Just now watching on C-SPAN, I saw cloture on the motion to proceed on the Warner-Levin bill S 470 fail on an almost perfectly party-line vote.

Hard not to wonder at Uncle Harry's tone of pained incomprehension speaking just before the vote when the GOP had been offered votes on the McCain-Lieberman benchmarks text and the Gregg no-funding-cutoffs text - and still they were throwing a tantrum!

So - like any prognosticator with chutzpah, I get straight back on the horse - why did they do that?

The closest thing to the Super Bowl we legislative process aficionados will have enjoyed yet in the 110th: in the Senate, next week is Iraq Week. And, though the measures in play are all as nonbinding as prune juice, the consequences for folk in both parties may be real enough.

(Earlier pieces here and here.)

The Times today has a brief rundown.