[Welcome, wingers [DCOW]. Welcome, PantLoads media. Enjoy reality...]

Somebody's talking to AP:

As Democratic leaders feud [nice trivialization there, AP!] with the White House on Iraq war spending, lawmakers from both parties are working quietly to break the impasse. House members will vote Thursday on a new Iraq bill hotly contested by the White House, opposed by nearly all Republicans and unlikely to survive in the Senate.

[A] dozen or so members in Congress [are] attempting to strike a Bipartisan compromise on the war...

And a "compromise" would look like what? More Friedman Units for Bush? Appointing Petraeus Consul by a consensus of the general will? Appointing Petraeus's horse consul? Stamping tiny feet and waving tiny fists and getting really, really mad like the Moderate Republicans just did?

"We'll see what happens," said Rep. Bud Cramer, D-Ala. "A lot of us are coming together across the aisle. We're under the radar now, but we're meeting."

Ah yes, Bud Cramer. Founder of the Blue Dogs. He'd betray Pelosi, the party, and the country in a heartbeat, wouldn't he? Especially if he could hold onto the increasingly irrelevant Southern rump's lock on the party.

So, that AP story chimes nicely with this Americablog story:

I just heard from an impeccable source that there is serious concern on the Hill that conservative Democrats in the House will vote with the Republicans to strip any and all restrictions from the Iraq supplemental tomorrow, effectively giving Bush all the money he wants with no restrictions and no effort to hold either him or the Iraq government accountable for anything. I.e., they will vote to continue this war along the same disastrous course because they're too afraid to challenge George Bush and his failed leadership.

Fucking bedwetters.

Let me reiterate: This isn't some idle rumor. The concerns are coming from Hill sources themselves.

So my scenario is that the Blue Dogs and the Moderate Republicans are working together to betray Pelosi.

Cramer said "Show me something" to the Republicans, and the kabuki drama in the Solarium Room yesterday was their very public response.

And now it's up to the Blue Dogs to show the Republicans something. That would come with the votes on the supplemental.

Of course, since all the characters involved are as twisty as corkscrews, the Blue Dogs might betray the Republicans instead of Pelosi. We can always hope!

UPDATE Think Progress thinks it's a sign of increasing pressure on Bush from the Partei apparatus. I don't think that's cynical enough.

UPDATE Talk Left thinks its a Rovian operation to help the moderate Republicans in tough districts, by giving them cover from Petraeus, if he's acclaimed as Consul (or, alternatively, his white horse). Nothing, of course, would prevent the Blue Dogs from joining in a Rovian operation if it served their purposes. When the going gets tough, the tough get foily....

UPDATE Via The Amazing Froomkin, this assessment by a participant:

"ROBERTS: Congressman LaHood, what was the president's reaction to what you told him?

"LAHOOD: He listened very carefully. I think he was a little -- I don't know if surprised is the right word, probably maybe sobered.

If "sobered" is the word we want [snicker].