A Victory, for Now

Webb prevails.

WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans have broken with President Bush to help Democrats add help for veterans and the unemployed to a bill paying for another year of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The 75-22 vote also adds billions of dollars in other domestic funds such as heating subsidies for the poor and money for fighting wildfires to the $165 billion for the military operations overseas.

This is veto bait, and a good number of the Republicans "breaking" with the President likely did so for the political cover of having supported a popular bill that helps veterans. But never underestimate the ability of Republicans to stand by Mr. 28%. He'll veto it because it's excessive spending, and many of those Republicans will just have to regretfully agree that we can't affort it.

But for now, they're on the record, and they'll have to expose themselves as the hypocrites they are.

BTW, McCain the Maverick apparently decided that showing up for this vote just wasn't all that important. According to his campaign Web site, he decided to spend the day in California.