As expected, the House bid to override President Bush's veto of the war spending supplemental bill failed in a 222-203 vote this afternoon, well short of the short of the two-thirds needed to override the veto. Speaking for six minutes to the nation last night -- on cable, that is; the networks did not grant Bush's request for airtime -- the president reiterated his objections to the "unconstitutionality" of the bill's timetable for withdrawal of Americans in combat. He added that "American commanders in the middle of a combat zone would have to take fighting directions from politicians 6,000 miles away in Washington, D.C." but is wasn't clear what directions and from whom, other than the administration offcicals who have been issuing them since the war started. What's next? Congressional GOP leaders are hinting that they might be able to back some sort of performance benchmarks for the Iraqi government, perhaps linked to elements of funding, but not invoking soldier withdrawal deadlines. Would that be acceptible to enough of the Democratic caucus, which might split over a "Supp 2.0" that signals retreat from the (non-binding) Supp 1.0 standard of a goal of total U.S. soldier withdrawal from Iraq by March 31, 2008? A compromise is expected soon. One deadline likely to be observed: House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD) said he wants the House to take up a new version of the supplemental in the next two weeks so there is enough time for it to clear Congress and get to the president before Memorial Day.