Whipping The Votes On Both Sides Of The Bailout

Predicting votes on something this volatile, when party lines and ideologies are blurred, is an inexact science, to say the least.

One Republican House leadership aide, along with a Republican lawmaker involved in the talks, both tell Politico that  Democrats will need to deliver 150 yes votes on the bailout, and Republicans will need 70 on their side for the bailout to pass. That math gets the House to 220, just enough to pass.

At this point, nobody is predicting a slam dunk in the House on passage, but we'll find out in about an hour. This is one of those votes even that will be watched closely by even the most experience hands in Congress.

The Senate, which will likely vote on Wednesday, is not looking like an obstacle. Even the most conservative senators are either staying quiet or not actively opposing the bailout bill.