Checking in

Hello from the nation's capitol. I'm out in DC visiting friends and family this week and taking in the aftermath of the election and the overdue ouster of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

I've been in northern Virginia for most of the past day, and there are still Webb and Allen signs everywhere. It looks like this race could formally be over today, the Associated Press having already called the race for Democrat Jim Webb. There's next to no chance that Republican George Allen would be able to close the 7200 gap with a recount barring some very unusual circumstances.

I was sad to see that Kathleen Falk lost a close race to become Wisconsin's next Attorney General. Early on in the returns, it was noticable that many people were voting for Doyle and then crossing over to vote for Republican JB Van Hollen for AG. Congratulations and best of luck to him.

Back to Congress, the Democrats will be controlling both the House and the Senate for at least the next two years. I'll urge the Dems to work with the president where it's possible (e.g. immigration, minimum wage). The Iraq war is still the focal point of where change is necessary though, and now at long last maybe we can have some oversight into this conflict that has cost the country hundresds of billions of dollars and 2,839 lives. With regard to Robert Gates, he's not a neo con, he's from the Brent Scowcroft more pragmantic school of foreign policy. We'll see if the shift in ideology results in a change in policy at the Pentagon if he's confirmed.

Hope Drinking Liberally was festive last night. See you all soon.