Here's what happened. Senate Dem leaders had scheduled a vote this morning on a bill that earlier passed the House and would provide $50 billion for the war but also set the goal of pulling out of Iraq by December of 2008.

But McConnell decided to try to go around Senate Dems. In a rare move he filed a motion to proceed on his own legislation, which would provide $70 billion to the war with no strings attached at all. Senate custom dictates that the Majority Leader sets the legislative agenda.

McConnell's move failed, however: The Senate Dem caucus stayed largely united and defeated McConnell's bill, 45-53.

That's not to say the Repubs came out total losers here, however. The Senate Dem bill then came up for a vote -- and because it contains the goal of withdrawal Republicans stayed united against it. And it went down to defeat, 53-45, falling short of the 60 votes it needed for passage under Senate rules.