] The effort to defy Bush and bridle the law's powers lost
] by 210-210, with a majority needed to prevail. The
] amendment appeared on its way to victory as the roll
] call's normal 15-minute time limit expired, but GOP
] leaders kept the vote open for 23 more minutes as they
] persuaded about 10 Republicans who initially supported
] the provision to change their votes.
]
] "Shame, shame, shame," Democrats chanted as the minutes
] passed and votes were switched. The tactic was
] reminiscent of last year's House passage of the Medicare
] overhaul measure, when GOP leaders held the vote open for
] an extra three hours until they got the votes they
] needed.
]
] "You win some, and some get stolen," Rep. C.L. Butch
] Otter, R-Idaho, a sponsor of the defeated provision and
] one of Congress' more conservative members, told a
] reporter.

[ So damn shady. -k]