As we've discussed before, everything that happens, anywhere in the world is now being described a "a defeat for George Bush."

Two such "defeats for George Bush" came to light this past week - and I'm not even counting West Virginia's loss to Pittsburgh which helped vault LSU and Ohio State into the BCS title game in January.

First came the news that John Murtha (D-Pa) who has been mentor to, and ally of, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca) had changed his mind on Iraq.

For years Murtha has been among the most outspoken critics of the war in Iraq. According to Investor's Business Daily, Murtha said that President Bush's surge strategy was "delusional to say the least." "I'm absolutely convinced right now the surge isn't working," and "there's no way you're going to have success," he told ABC in June.

According to Politico.com in July, Murtha (who is also Chairman of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee) told CNN's Wolf Blitzer "As I said earlier, and you heard me say it, it's a failed policy wrapped in illusion. Nothing's gotten better."

But, after visiting Iraq last month he said "in a videoconference from his congressional district office, 'I think the surge is working.'"

And what will Speaker Pelosi be swayed by this Murtha revelation? Again, according the Politico:

"This could be a real headache for us," said one top House Democratic aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "Pelosi is going to be furious."

A senior aide publicly admits that the Speaker of the House is rooting for America to fail in Iraq and it goes virtually unnoticed by the media (or, for that matter, by any of the Candidates for President).

The Murtha Conversion: Obviously, a defeat for George Bush.

The second defeat for the US President came just last night when it was reported by, amongst others, CNN:

"Venezuelan voters narrowly rejected a constitutional referendum that would have bolstered President Hugo Chavez's embrace of socialism and granted an indefinite extension of his eligibility to serve as president."

Venezuelan voters, according to the LA Times, "defeated a package of constitutional reforms that could have indefinitely extended President Hugo Chavez's grip on power here. It was a shocking electoral loss for the strongman, his first in nine years at the helm." Continued...