John Kerry

spoke for each of several amendments written to make the bankruptcy bill at least tolerable. His arguments tried everything from logic, a call for compassion and scripture against usury - and looked pained as each went down in flames. The sad thing is that Democrats from states where voting against it would be a tough vote likely did not listen to a word he said - and I would bet his arguments in private were likely stronger and more compelling than those on the floor. It was times like that that I completely understood why he was the Lion of the Senate. (It is also an example that some forget that sometimes even the best fighter fuighting hard does not win.

That also suggests how we get into the position we are in. No one with a heart should have been able to listen to the examples that Kennedy gave and work to defeat all his amendments - just so the credit card companies could profit more than they did. Yet there were not 41 Democrats willing to filibuster - though there were 45 Senators caucusing with the Democrats.

The toughest thing about where we are is that it is harder to buy what seemed more than naive optimism in 2008 that the government could do good, big things - and the Democrats would be able to create programs rather than just stopping bad things. It is scary that there is a possibility of a Republican President, House and Senate - though hopefully the intraparty warfare will have taken its toll on the candidate.