Senate panel defies Bush on terror.

Good news, if it isn't Kabuki:

If the past is any guide to the future:

1. The Moderate Republicans will get to look good in their campaign ads, but

2. The Republican leadership will just rewrite everything in conference anyhow, and

3. If the Conference Committee report isn't to The Decider's liking, he'll just issue a signing statement and ignore the law, under the theory of Divine Afflatus, or some damn thing.

So, pull my finger!

UPDATE Glenn discusses the A-list conference call, where Harry Reid said the odious Spector bill that would retroactively "legalize" the Bush warrantless surveillance program, wouldn't go anywhere. However, as explained in points 2 and 3 above, it's important that nothing gets passed at all. B ecause nothing is better than anything the Republicans might get.