The bailout bill went to a vote Monday morning after a historic night of politicking. It was all set to pass, supposedly, when Nancy Pelosi gave what some are calling a partisan speech. (It merely sounded like truth to me.) As a consequence, 12 Republicans who'd pledged to support the bill got their feelings hurt and reneged.

I can't say I'm sorry the bill failed - and it didn't seem to me that any House members looked all that distressed either - but as Barney Franks pointed out, it is absurd to put hurt feelings before the "good of the country." Spin it how they may, the Republicans failed to support an emergency bill set forth by their president to save the world, or at least Wall Street.

As some in the media have mentioned, a no vote on the bill was the safest vote, considering the mood of the electorate. Republicans are not confident of their seats anywhere in the country this election year, so they may have been putting their re-election before the good of the country. Talk about hurt feelings! Nothing hurts more than job-hunting during a recession.