Watch this clip. The Speaker is Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a conservative but one who is not above breaking with the party line. If you're looking for a canary in the coal mine, he's a likely candidate. Here's what he had to say today on the banking crisis:
Look at his expression, the tone of his voice, his overall body language. He has a hard time making eye contact with the moderator or the other people on the panel. Perhaps it's just theater, but I get the strong sense that Graham is faced with a reality that has forced him to abandon a closely-held ideology. It's painful to watch.