The Senate Democratic leaders pajama-party strategy made sense, even if it did not result in the Levin-Reed amendment to draw down troops in Iraq to be attached to the defense authorization bill going anywhere.
By rolling in the cots, the Dem leaders provided a dramatic example to the impatient and vocal anti-war base that they were doing all they can to end the war in a legislative environment where supermajorities are needed to get anything done on contentious issues.
Even though the entire matter of sending more soldiers to Iraq comes up again in September, the activists who expected change once the Democrats were in charge dont sit patiently for lessons on how the legislative process in Washington really works. Its a hard message to send down the line that the Dems control the Senate but are not really in control on the big ones.
Besides some loss of sleep, Democratic leaders have a majority Senate vote to show to MoveOn.org and their allies on Levin-Reed, legislation imposing deadlines for soldiers leaving Iraq. In connection with the all-nighter, Americans Against Escalation in Iraq said in a memo that Moveon.org and the Iraq Summer Campaign held a combined 155 change the course events across the nation.
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