Democrats and Iraq  —  The Democrats will not be able to savor their victory for long.  Americans are waiting to hear if they have any good ideas for how to get out of Iraq without creating even wider chaos and terrorism.  —  Criticizing President Bush's gross mismanagement of the war was a winning electoral strategy.

Feingold rules out 2008 run for president  —  cgilbert@journalsentinel.com  —  Washington - Sen. Russ Feingold will not seek his party's presidential nomination in 2008, the Wisconsin Democrat told the Journal Sentinel on Saturday.  —  "I never got to that point where I'd rather …

Sectarian Rifts Foretell Pitfalls of Iraqi Troops' Taking Control  —  BAQUBA, Iraq — It did not take long for Col. Brian D. Jones to begin to have doubts about the new Iraqi commander.  —  The commander, Brig. Gen. Shakir Hulail Hussein al-Kaabi, was chosen this summer by the Shiite-led government …

U.S. must prove it's a staying power  —  On the radio a couple of weeks ago, Hugh Hewitt suggested to me the terrorists might try to pull a Spain on the U.S. elections.  You'll recall (though evidently many Americans don't) that in 2004 hundreds of commuters were slaughtered in multiple train bombings in Madrid.

New Democratic Majority Throws Bush's Judicial Nominations Into Uncertainty  —  The impending Democratic takeover of the Senate, lawmakers and administration officials agree, will produce a vast change in an area that has produced some of the sharpest partisan battles in recent years …

Michael Dirda  —  Overlook.  409 pp.  $35  —  Nearly 30 years ago, the late Edward Said brought out his most famous book, Orientalism (1978).  Till then, Orientalism had been regarded as simply the branch of European scholarship focusing on the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

U.S. vetoes condemnation of Gaza strikes  —  UNITED NATIONS - The United States vetoed a U.N. Security Council draft resolution Saturday that sought to condemn an Israeli military offensive in the Gaza Strip and demand Israeli troops pull out of the territory.

Webb May Be Senate Maverick  —  Newest Member Expected to Take Antiwar Lead  —  James Webb walked into the Fish Market restaurant in Alexandria in December and wanted longtime Democratic strategist Steve Jarding to answer just one question: What were his chances of defeating Sen. George Allen …

Baker: A face-saving disaster?  —  The Baker commission seems to be doing a lot more than just re-thinking Iraq.  It appears to be copiously leaking a Vietnam-type cut-and-run plan that will leave the Gulf far more dangerous than it is now.  The Vietnam model looks like a "face-saving" …

Democratic Lobbyists Relish Return to Washington's Power Elite  —  Nov. 10 (Bloomberg) — Thomas Boggs, dean of the Democratic lobbyists in Washington, boasts of a tie to incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that no one in his profession can match: He has known her since they were both 4 years old.

Veteran's Day Message To Karl Rove: Take Your Terror Scares and Shove Them Up Your Ass!  —  I was honored to spend most of Veteran's Day at the Vietnam Memorial with a rally and ceremony honoring heroes of America from every branch of the service, and their families, immediate and extended.