The effects of the Democrats winning control in both houses of Congress are already showing, with two right wing neo-conservatives being replaced by (hopefully) someone with a brain:
Mr Bolton was appointed in August 2005 during a Congressional recess. This was a procedural manoeuvre which avoided the need for him to be confirmed until the end of this year.
Another big change is on the Senate environment committee, where a Republican who disputes the existence of man-made global warming is being replaced as chairman by a Democrat who says the issue is the challenge of our times.