It will be interesting to see if and how the White House reacts to this statement by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, during her weekly press conference.

Q Do you think that the power has somewhat shifted, at least somewhat, from one side of Pennsylvania Avenue to another, now that Congress has said no to the president on two of these issues?

Ms. Pelosi. I think that the president has finally realized that the leverage has changed. You know, I use that word quite frequently, and some of you have made note of that. But that is the question: Who has the leverage? And I think the president realizes now that we do.

— Jon Ward, White House correspondent, The Washington Times