SHULER BACKS ANTI-WAR BUDGET BILL!

Time out while we check something important, 'cause we may just have become an official monkey's uncle!

Heath Shuler did not join up as a blue-dog holdout on the supplemental war spending bill that sets a time-table for withdrawal. He voted for the bill, along with NC's Walter Jones (R) and all but 14 Democrats (a mix of seven liberals wanting the war ended yesterday and seven blue dogs, who'll bend to the Republicans every blessed time).

Bill passed the House 218-212.

Not that it'll ever BE the law, but a journey of a thousand miles -- i.e., ending umpteen bazillion war deaths -- has to start with a single step. And Shuler hung tough.

Color us amazed.