With three Republican senators (Scott Brown of Massachusetts and Mainers Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe) now signaling that they will vote with Democrats to enact new rules for how Wall Street and the big banks do business, President Obama says the country is on the verge of taking the steps necessary to prevent future financial meltdowns.

"What members of both parties realize is that we can't allow a financial crisis like this one that we just went through to happen again," Obama declared at a White House reception Tuesday. "This reform will prevent that from happening."

But while Obama and Senate Democratic leaders may be getting more Republicans and conservative Democrats (such as Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson) on board --and will almost certainly have enough to pass the measure when it is considered in coming days -- they won't have the vote of the Democrat who has been the steadiest advocate for real reform.