Or so they say:

And here is Representative Barney Frank’s hilarious response.

Now, I think the truth is that the Republican leadership could never deliver the votes on the economic bailout plan that they claimed they could. I really doubt the Republican rank-and-file voted against it because Nancy Pelosi was mean to them. At least, I hope it wasn’t. The idea that they would put the economy in danger because of a speech is beyond the pale. If they think the country really is better off without the plan or if they opposed it because their constituents were against it, so be it, but then own that. Don’t tell a lie (and a bad one at that).

Perhaps… perhaps (and I doubt this is the case, although it is possible) that their leadership had strongarmed them into voting for the bill and Pelosi’s speech was enough to tip them back. I say this only to be fair. It seems to be the least likely alternative.