I saw this happening from the very start. The democrats were played from day one.

The republicans were never going to cooperate. The "if you compromise a little, we'll vote for the bill" was a ruse from the very start. Even if the oil companies stop getting tax breaks and the bill gets out congress Bush will sure as hell veto it.

If a man will reject something that has broad bipartisan support like health care for children, he'll never sign a bill that his allies in the auto and oil industries don't like.

The democrats should have forced a filibuster immediately. The net results would have been the same but without the public embarrassment.

This bill is now utterly worthless.  The progressive community should mobilize to block its passage.  Repealing some taxes on the oil companies, at the price of an ethanol mandate, just isn't worth it.  Plus we need to send a message to the conservatives:  We're right, and we represent the majority position of the population.  If they won't play, then we should kill the bill.

Actually, the one vote short resulted from a Dem--Mary Landrieu of LA beholden to the oil industry.  Lugar, a Republican, and Bayh, a Democrat, both from IN switched their vote from the last measure.