What does the Pelosi defeat today mean?

1. Nancy Pelosi is not going to be an intimidating all-powerful Speaker.

2. Nancy Pelosi is not a very good vote counter.

Both of those things augur well for President Bush and a center-right 110th.

More basically, today's events are not important in themselves. Right now, K-Fed is still better known to most Americans than Nancy Pelosi. Specific scandals and this kind of misstep will not play a large role in the next election. Remember: our leadership elections are much more important for us politically than anything Nancy Pelosi will do this week.

Just for kicks: Why did she do it?

Speaker Pelosi attempted to reward a loyal friend, knock out an old rival and, most importantly, appeal to her anti-war base. Murtha was an anti-war rock star on the scale of Michael Moore and Cindy Sheehan. The anti-war zealots were unanimous in their support for Murtha, and I am betting that they appreciate Pelosi's overture.