Friday, newly minted Senator-Elect Energy Smart Jeff Merkley (D-OR) took the time to reach out to the netroots with a blogger conference call.  "The Netroots were critical to my election ... It is 40 years since an incumbent lost in Oregon and only the second time in 100 years that a Republican incumbent lost ... the Netroots put the campaign over the top."  

But, more important than any plaudits for bloggers ("Netroots Nation was one of the best things that I did during the campaign.") and promises to remain engage for the future, was Merkley's evaluation as to the election's mandate and visions for moving forward.

We have a very strong mandate for a progressive agenda. We have had two cycles in a row with winning six [at least] seats in the Senate.

Bush claimed a mandate when he didn't even win the popular vote.

We absolutely have a mandate and we should not be shy in anyway in claiming it.

If not now, when?  Our people need us, our planet needs us ...

Looks like the troops will remain in Iraq for quite some time to come.
WaPo:

U.N. Approval Sought To Extend Iraq Stay

By Colum Lynch and Bradley Graham
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, November 8, 2005; Page A10

UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 7 -- The Bush administration pressed the U.N. Security Council on Monday to pass a resolution extending the mandate of the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq, providing a legal basis for U.S. and allied troops to remain for at least a year after Iraqis elect their first government under the new constitution on Dec. 15, according to U.S. and European diplomats.