We demand an up-or-down vote. We are determined to give our troops and the American people the debate they deserve.

Consultation, to me, means consultation. You sit down and talk with people you're trying to work something out with. Not after you've already written the speech.

We want the American troops protected in Iraq. But for the president to escalate this conflict outside Iraq is something he has to come back and ask us permission to do.

Consultation, to me, means consultation. You sit down and talk with people you're trying to work something out with. Not after you've already written the speech.

The surge is a bad idea. The president said he was going to listen to his commanders. If he's listening to his commanders, he can't do this.

Remove our troops from this civil war.

Fifty-one to 49 -- some may look at this as a composition for gridlock, a recipe for gridlock. But I see this as a unique opportunity.

We know, from experience, that majorities come and they go. Majorities are very fragile. And majorities must work with minorities to make that lasting change.

I am a pessimist about everything in life. That way I have fewer disappointments.

Completing the mission in Iraq is the president's job. And we will do everything to assist the commander in chief to ensure his responsibilities.

Even though I was raised here, my mother always was able to instill in me that I was as good as anybody else.

I think Harry Reid really sort of summed up the whole issue today when he said, I think that even though we have at least two positions, I think, if you look at them closely, they're basically the same.

There isn't a thing that's changed.

We're all praying for a full recovery. We're confident that will be the case.

Does this mean pulling all the troops out now? Of course it doesn't. But it does say we must start redeploying troops as soon as possible.

It's been an excellent discussion. It's -- we talked about issues that are important to our country. Election is over. The only way to move forward is with bipartisanship ship and openness, and to get some results. And we have made a…

Harry Reid, for example, the new Senate majority leader, is talking about encouraging the president to personally convene a regional conference, including Syria, as well as Jordan and Saudi Arabia and Egypt, to talk about alternative…

They have set a very bad example in not working with us. We're not following that example.