We had our late afternoon editorial meeting here at TPM this afternoon. And the five of us on the call had a difficult time figuring out just what the Republicans were fighting for other than using the filibuster to prevent the senate from voting a vote of no confidence in the president's war policy. But this article in the Washington Post explains pretty neatly what's up. The nominal issue is the Gregg Amendment which, pretty ridiculously, claims that the Congress has the responsibility to fully fund any mission the president decides to authorize for the US armed forces. But the key is they won't let the senate vote on the Iraq War. It's that simple. No vote, no debate on Iraq that can't get over 60 votes. That simple.

That's fine. The senate allows for that. The filibuster is an important right that sizeable minorities have in the US senate. But you take responsibility for what you try to filibuster. So let's note exactly what's happening here. The Republicans -- even ones who say they're against escalation -- are using the filibuster to prevent the senate from opposing the president's war policy. That simple. That's all this is about. Every Republican vote here is for a free hand for the president in Iraq.

Both sides try to spin these things to their own advantage. Sometimes they make them sound simpler than they are. But this one's just clear. They're using the filibuster to protect the president's war policy.