Stupak offers strange explanation for this health care vote

From the WSJ's Political Diary:

Michigan Rep. Bart Stupak is paying a price among his pro-life backers for throwing his support behind ObamaCare. He famously agreed to vote for the health-care bill only after the White House issued an executive order barring any federal funding for abortion -- an order so weak some pro-choice liberals promptly exulted that it couldn't pass legal muster.

Trying to shore up his wavering support, Mr. Stupak recently defended his vote to the Catholic News Agency, saying the legislation would have passed anyway because Speaker Nancy Pelosi "always carries a number of votes in her pocket." He further explained that, by voting "yes," he had allowed other more vulnerable congressmen to vote "no." "I had a number of members who thanked us after because they could vote no," Mr. Stupak said. . . .

See also this.