It was a dark and stormy night for the Republicans as the first major health care bill in half a century passed its big test in the US House. To hear those Republicans react to this very weak, minimally acceptable piece of social legislation—without a public option—you would think Trotsky’s 4th International had seized Washington and was about to sell its wives and daughters into white slavery.

Gosh, for a while I was hoping those Republican were right when they told us we were on the verge of a European socialist society, but no such luck. This bill is pure capitalism, pouring far more dollars into the hands of the big insurance companies than they deserve.

Well, perhaps the Republican political fate is even worse than socialism.

Now they are no longer likely to take over either house of congress, let alone both, come November. Had President Barack Obama and Speaker Nancy Pelosi failed to get this legislation passed, it would have been the functional end of Obama’s presidency. Just the way Bill Clinton’s health care failure lost him the congress and reduced his program to so-called bite-sized, Republican-oriented pieces of legislation—plus the occasional compensation of sneaky sex in the Oval Office.

Yes, the Democrats will lose seats in both houses come November—more than the usual mid-term loss of the party in power, but not enough to wreck the party and Obama’s ability to govern. The Repubs were hoping mightily that health care would be his Waterloo, but it may well turn out to strengthen him.

With a firm and clear bill to point to, with benefits specifically spelled out and Palinesque nonsense such as “death panels” nowhere to be found, there is every opportunity for health care reform to begin to rebuild the popularity it once held before the right-wing so very cleverly poisoned the well against it.

Obama and Co. began a year ago with something like 57 percent support for reform and thought they had it made, so they let down their guard and failed to campaign intensively for it. Enter the brilliant GOP swiftboaters who scared the pants off seniors and the middle class, bringing down support for both the issue and the president—and giving strong impetus to the tea party types who would eventually take away a Democratic senate seat.

Things were looking bleak for the White House. Obama and Tonto—I mean Rahm Emanuel—were on the verge of either giving up on health care or going bite-size, a la Bill Clinton. Pelosi, however, was not about to throw in the towel after all the work she put in.

Then, in the continuing irony of American politics your worst enemy turns out to be your best friend.

Anthem Blue Cross, a major California health insurance company (not part of Blue Cross-Blue Shield) shocked the nation by announcing a 39 percent premium increase—followed by other firms with similar fat increases. The boorish and racist behavior of some tea partiers added to the stench.

The issue once again was live and joined.

The White House said Gung Ho! and Obama began campaigning as if his life depended on it—which it did. Had he done so a year earlier the whole issue would have been decided favorably already, but that was water over the dam. He put on the full-court press, as did Pelosi, and though it went down to the wire, they won the day. Which is to say, the uninsured and the underinsured and the exploited had the day won for them.

Even as you read this and for days to come you will be reading and hearing about all the ins and outs and deal-making that went into the sausage-making of this still imperfect but highly necessary and historic legislation. But remember the two most salient factors:

First, it passed.

Second, it will eventually save the Obama presidency.

One more thing: the real hero (heroine?) of this story is the oft dissed and frequently dismissed Ms. Pelosi, who dug in and did what a genuine party leader is supposed to do: Bring enough Nos around to Yes, by whatever means necessary. She has proved to be one of the great Speakers of all time.

Moreover, she’s got bigger cojones than Rahm Emanuel ever dreamed about, though you never read about her using any four-letter words.

Even if she comes from effete San Francisco, she’s the real Chicago politician.

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Don Rose is a regular columnist for the Chicago Daily Observer