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The GOP Senate caucus started out RIGHT today.

John Kerry is out but apparently John Murtha is IN.

Murtha will make Trent Lott look like a statesman……..

UPI: Schumer appears to ask Kerry to leave Via Powerline

U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer appeared to kick Sen. John Kerry out of a Democratic leadership walk in Washington, a reporter who witnessed the event said.

An ABC News reporter said the incident occurred Tuesday outside of the Old Senate Chamber as members of the new Democratic leadership, of which Kerry is not a part, left the chamber en route to the Ohio Clock Corridor to discuss leadership elections, the incoming majority’s agenda and Iraq.

The ABC reporter said Kerry left the room behind Democratic Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.; Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Caucus Secretary Patty Murray, D-Wash.; and Caucus Vice-Chair Schumer, D-N.Y. However, when Schumer noticed Kerry, D-N.Y., walking behind him, he turned and said something to the Massachusetts senator that caused him to stop.

Kerry waited for the Democratic leaders to walk ahead and then ducked between two statues. The ABC reporter speculated that Schumer may have told Kerry to stay clear of the leadership shot.

If only the Has-Been had won the Presidency……..

The GOP Leadership walk did not push anyone aside and appears a happy Lott…….

Republican Senators Mitch McConnell (L) of Kentucky and Trent Lott of Mississippi in an undated composite image. McConnell was elected on Wednesday to be Senate Republican leader, a Republican aide said. Lott was elected to replace McConnell as whip.

Reuters: McConnell, Lott to lead Senate Republicans: aide

Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was elected on Wednesday to be U.S. Senate Republican leader as his vanquished party prepares to turn over control of Congress to Democrats in January, a Republican aide said.

McConnell, now Senate Republican whip, ran unopposed. He will replace Bill Frist of Tennessee, who is retiring from Congress as he mulls a possible run for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.

Good!

McConnell is erudite, well-spoken and feisty. Bill Frist was a wimp who squandered majority power. Now, let’s see if McConnell will be able to work with Lieberman and Webb to form a conservative majority in spite of Harry Reid.

In a closed-door meeting of the Senate Republican caucus, Sen. Trent Lott (news, bio, voting record) of Mississippi, a former Senate Republican leader, was elected to replace McConnell as whip. Lott defeated Sen. Lamar Alexander (news, bio, voting record) of Tennessee by one vote, a party aide said.

McConnell’s and Lott’s elections were to be announced later in the day, as well as the outcomes of races for other Senate Republican leadership posts since the party lost control of the Senate and House of Representatives in last week’s congressional elections.

Trent Lott should never have been removed from the Majority Leader position in the first place. And to be replaced with Bill Frist? What were those senators thinking?

Go get them, Trent.

Michelle Malkin and the Captain are not so sure.

But, they are wrong.

Trent is way way better than meek and mild Lamar Alexander.

Paul at Powerline has it RIGHT. 

Hopefully, Senator Elizabeth Dole will retire from the campaign committee and be replaced with someone who can vigorously recruit candidates for the 2008 election cycle.

Stay tuned……

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad – Iran “Will Resist to the End”

Ahmadinejad on Tuesday said Iran was ultimately aiming to install 60,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium to make nuclear fuel on an industrial scale, which the United States said would be enough to make a nuclear weapon.

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack described Ahmadinejad’s remarks — made at a news conference Tuesday — as a “cold jolt” adding that “what that leads to is an Iranian nuclear weapon”.

The installation of 60,000 centrifuges would take several years but would enable the Islamic republic to enrich uranium on an industrial scale to make its own nuclear fuel.

Iran had previously said it is looking to install 3,000 centrifuges by March 2007. It currently has two cascades of 164 centrifuges apiece at its Natanz plant to enrich uranium on a research scale.

John Bolton, United States Ambassador to the United Nations just said on Fox News that he will pushing today in the UNSC for Iranian sanctions.

Really, what is the UNSC waiting for?

Iran ‘s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks during a press conference in Tehran on November 14. Ahmadinejad has vowed that Iran would “resist to the end” on its nuclear programme, after sparking fresh Western concern by revealing plans to massively ramp up sensitive atomic work.

AFP: Iran to ‘resist to end’ on nuclear: Ahmadinejad

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed that Iran would “resist to the end” on its nuclear programme, after sparking fresh Western concern by revealing plans to massively ramp up sensitive atomic work.

“The Iranian people will resist to the end to defend their nuclear right,” Ahmadinejad told thousands of supporters in a speech in Sanandaj, the capital of Iran’s Kurdestan province, broadcast live on state television Wednesday.

“Thanks to God, time is on Iran’s side and with every passing day they (the great powers) are having to take a step backwards and recognise Iran’s right while the Iranian people take a step forward to the summit of technology.”

Ahmadinejad on Tuesday said Iran was ultimately aiming to install 60,000 centrifuges to enrich uranium to make nuclear fuel on an industrial scale, which the United States said would be enough to make a nuclear weapon.

Ahamdinejad and the Iranian Mullahs continue to be consistent, expand their nuclear program and the West makes every effort to APPEASE them.

What is the United Nations Security Council waiting for?

US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack described Ahmadinejad’s remarks — made at a news conference Tuesday — as a “cold jolt” adding that “what that leads to is an Iranian nuclear weapon”.

The installation of 60,000 centrifuges would take several years but would enable the Islamic republic to enrich uranium on an industrial scale to make its own nuclear fuel.

Iran had previously said it is looking to install 3,000 centrifuges by March 2007. It currently has two cascades of 164 centrifuges apiece at its Natanz plant to enrich uranium on a research scale.

Israel is NOT going to wait any longer. The “POINT OF NO RETURN” looms.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, Iran’s arch-enemy, said in Los Angeles the world had “reached the pivotal moment of truth” on Iran’s nuclear programme and warned “we cannot afford to wait”.

Previous:

Cox & Forkum: Flashback – “PEACE IN OUR TIME”

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad – Iran Will Soon Celebrate Completion of its Nuclear Fuel Program

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad – “Israel’s Destruction NEAR”

Iran Nuclear Watch: Ahmadinejad Blasts U.N. Security Council

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Broadcasts Drone Footage of United States Carrier

Iran Nuclear Watch: Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh – Strike on Iran Possible

Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia Won’t Bargain Over Bushehr

Iran Nuclear Watch: A Military Option

Iran Nuclear Watch: Six Arab States Want to Go Nuclear

Iran Nuclear Watch: Iran Test Fires Three New Missiles in the Gulf

Iran Nuclear Watch: Russia and China Say NO to United Nations Iran Sanction Resolution

The Iran Nuclear Files

The Natanz uranium enrichment complex in Natanz is pictured in this January 2, 2006 satellite image.

Day By Day by Chris Muir