BLUNT PLOTS A GOOD JANUARY

Good for Rep. Roy Blunt, that is, and bad for Rep. Tom DeLay, the House Majority Leader currently sidelined -- but only temporarily, wink wink, nudge nudge -- while he fights money laundering charges.

A Texas judge dinged a conspiracy charge on Monday but let stand the more serious moolah-Maytag accusations. DeLay had hoped to be cleared on Monday so he could take back his power.

No dice. We hear Blunt is pretty comfortable in his Leader role -- but only temporarily, wink wink, nudge nudge -- and isn't keen on letting go of what he's got. Tuesday's Washingon Post seems to confirm that the long knives are out for the nicked DeLay:

DeLay's leadership position has been temporarily assumed by Rep. Roy Blunt (Mo.), and no new vote is planned. But a former GOP leadership aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of crossing DeLay, said that among House Republicans "the overwhelming feeling is if things are not squared away by the time they come back in January, there will be a petition dropped on the speaker's desk for an election" to permanently replace him.

DeLay was Blunt's mentor in Congress. This must be the part where the student turns on his master.