that's accurate? is that essentially what happened? politics trumping personal opinions here? >> politics in process. look. i mean, there's no other way around it. i'll tell you, first thing this morning i was getting word on my blackberry that harry reid was going to hold a vote despite progress in those talks we talked about last night. it was very fluid. but the fact is, when the vote actually happened, it was a surprise. blanche lincoln, it's not her fault she was at the dentist because she didn't know it was coming. when reid did this, he flatly said he did not believe anything he agreed to with gop senator susan collins wld make the outcome different. as one aide in reid's office put it to me tonight, republicans from their perspective would have come up with excuse after excuse to stall. i'll tell you, though, the problem, anderson, for reid is that gay rights activists aren't so sure. they believe that there are 60 votes, as you mentioned. for repealing the policy of don't ask, don't tell. some are telling me they feel betrayed by reid for not just giving those republicans a vote on the tax cut issue first as they demanded.