[Genuine surprise,] Oh! Good for us! [It does feel very much like there is a coherent 'us'.]

I have to say, that does make me feel better. Knowing we can still have that sort of influence. [Unless the team, I don't know, got its way through acts of terror, but that really seems unlikely.] Do you know if there was any sort of retaliation? [For going over their heads - look, who knows with politicians?]