That said, it's time to think of the practicalities, and one man who will be doing just that is Sir Nigel Sheinwald, British ambassador in the US - for the word from the Obama camp seems to be that a new Democratic administration would press to have him replaced once it has settled into the White House. Sir Nigel's not entirely flattering portrait of Obama - "aloof, insensitive", "decidedly liberal", a man finding his feet who then "got diverted by his presidential ambitions" - was "leaked" to the press. This enraged the Obama camp, who noted that no similar paper on McCain's possible limitations had found its way into the public domain. Obama talks a lot about the "better angels", but his people are already making it clear to Labour types here that they haven't forgotten the ambassador's unhelpful contribution to this long-running, titanic struggle. Message to our man in Washington: enjoy it while it lasts. Don't get comfy.