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Nancy Pelosi announces she will run for minority leader:
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) has tweeted that she will run to lead Democrats in the House of Representatives.
Unemployment rate holds at 9.6 percent:
The U.S. economy added 151,000 jobs in October, as the unemployment rate held at 9.6 percent.
A.P. Projects Democrat Patty Murray Will Hold Washington Senate Seat:
The Associated Press is projecting that Senator Patty Murray, a powerful member of the Democratic leadership,
will defeat her Republican opponent, Dino Rossi, in Washington State.
Democrat Wins Illinois Governor Race:
Gov. Patrick J. Quinn was declared the winner of the race for governor of Illinois by The Associated Press this
afternoon.... -
NYT, 11-4-10
In Connecticut, Two Men Prepare to Be Governor:
Thursday was the first full day of work for the transition team of Dannel P. Malloy, the Democrat who was certain he
was the winner in the race for governor of Connecticut.
Dannel P. Malloy, the former Democratic mayor of Stamford, was declared the unofficial winner.
It was also the first full day of work for the transition team of Thomas C. Foley, the Republican who was equally
sure he was the victor.
Clearly, one of these men was going to be terribly disappointed. But when and how was still, well, unclear.... -
NYT, 11-4-10
Oregon: Democrat wins historic 3rd term as governor:
Democrat John Kitzhaber and Republican Chris Dudley are locked in a tight race for governor in Oregon after a big-
spending campaign that...
AP, 11-4-10
Murkowski acts like victor but questions linger:
Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski is acting as though she already has pulled off an improbable victory after her
write-in candidacy, enthusiastically thanking supporters and telling them they've made history.
She may have won. Or she may be overly optimistic.
The race is far from over.... -
wApO, 11-4-10
In state capitols, GOP engineers historic shift:
Republicans scored huge and historic successes in state legislative elections Tuesday, exceeding even the great
performance the party had in congressional races.
GOP candidates picked up about 650 Democratic-held seats, the most in nearly half a century. Republicans now
control more legislative seats than at any time since 1928.
"To describe this as a Republican wave would be a vast understatement," says elections expert Tim Storey of the
National Conference of State Legislatures."They won in places where we didn't see it coming, and they won in
places where we did see it coming," he says.
The shift will have a big effect on spending, taxes, public education and how political districts are drawn.... -
USA TODAY, 11-4-10
Revolution in the States The GOP also made history down ballot on Tuesday:
Here's a prediction: Democrats and liberals will soon preach the virtues of Congressional redistricting reform.
The reason is the historic losses Democrats suffered on Tuesday at the state level that have set Republicans up
to dominate the post-2000 Census process of rewriting district lines.
The GOP's failure to take over the U.S. Senate has masked the arguably more important story that Republicans picked
up at least a record 680 state legislative seats nationwide. That's more than even the 472 seat gain in 1994,
according to the American Legislative Exchange Council, and more than the previous record of 628 seats by ... -
WSJ, 11-4-10
Poll: GOP candidates top Obama in hypothetical 2012 race:
President Obama trails some top GOP contenders in a hypothetical 2012 matchup.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is the favorite for the GOP 2012 presidential nomination
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is a close second
Nearly three-quarters of Democrats say they want to see the party renominate Barack Obama in 2012... -
CNN, 11-4-10
Poll: Obama Would Beat Palin in 2012:
The midterm elections are so yesterday. The eyes of many political insiders are already turning to 2012.
President Obama would handily beat Sarah Palin in the next presidential election, despite strong anti-incumbent
feelings and the Democrats losing the House to the GOP this week, a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll indicates.
And while Obama would win against the Tea Party favorite, 52% to 44% among registered voters, pit the President
against Mike Huckabee and it's an entirely different story.
The former Arkansas Governor and 2008 GOP White House candidate would beat Obama 52% to 44% in a hypothetical
matchup, the survey reveals.
While there's no clear GOP frontrunner, 21% Republicans said they're most likely to back Huckabee, 20% said
they'd support former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, 14% said they'd back Palin and 12% were for ex-House
Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Romney would also beat Obama 50 % to 45%, but Obama would beat Gingrich 49% to 47%.... -
US News, 11-4-10
Sarah Palin's 'Take Back the 20' PAC scores a bull's-eye:
During the 2010 midterm elections, Sarah Palin went hunting for Democrats and nearly bagged her limit."Take Back the 20," Palin's political action committee, targeted 20 congressional districts across the country
that John McCain carried in 2008 but had Democratic representatives in Congress.
The results are eye-opening. Palin succeeded in 18 of 20 districts, losing in West Virginia's 3rd House District.
At this time, the race in Arizona's 8th House District is too close to call.
The 18 Republican winners unseated freshman politicians, congressional veterans and even House Budget Committee
Chairman John Spratt.... -
AP, 11-4-10
Religion's role in the November 2010 election:
It may surprise some, but here are two typical pre-election statements made at churches and synagogues.
From first-hand experience interviewing people in America's two largest religions -- Christianity and Judaism --
about 50 percent of Bible and Torah believers often don't let their faith influence their voting. It's more about
party affiliation and the economy.... -
Yahoo News, 11-4-10
Parsing the Myths of the Midterm Election:
Every election develops its own mythology, usually before the official results are even certified, and this week’s
was no different. And like all mythology, the narrative that is being woven around the midterm elections by Bulfinches
from both parties is a blend of history, facts and, yes, myths.
Before it hardens into accepted fact, some of the new conventional wisdom might benefit from one more spin on the
potter's wheel:
The Mandate Myth
The Return to the Republican Fold
The Lost Youth Vote
Disaster for the President
Mythmakers, or Debunkers, Know What They’re Talking About -
NYT, 11-5-10
Snapshot: Election night at Fox News:
After all the drumming for conservative candidates, you'd think the network's talking heads would be crowing over
Republican gains. But things were surprisingly subdued.... -
LAT, 11-7-10
GOP regains control of House in historic elections:
Republicans have seized control of the House for the first time since 2006, riding a wave of voter discontent and economic woes to directly challenge President Barack Obama's agenda.
House Republicans have captured 220 seats and were leading in 20 other races. Only 218 seats are needed for control of the House.
Republicans have picked up a net gain of 53 seats and were leading for another 13 Democratic-held seats. If current trend holds, Republicans could record their largest gains in the House in more than 70 years.
In 1938, the party gained 80 seats during the second term of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.... -
AP, 11-3-10
Republicans Will Take Control of the House:
John A. Boehner, the House Republican leader, in an emotional moment during a victory gathering for the National Republican Congressional Committee in Washington. More Photos »
Republicans captured control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday and expanded their voice in the Senate, riding a wave of voter discontent as they dealt a setback to President Obama just two years after his triumphal victory.
A Republican resurgence, propelled by deep economic worries and a forceful opposition to the Democratic agenda of health care and government spending, delivered defeats to Democrats from the Northeast to the South and across the Midwest. The tide swept aside dozens of Democratic lawmakers, regardless of their seniority or their voting records, upending the balance of power for the second half of Mr. Obama’s term.... -
Republicans Will Win Control of House:
The New York Times is projecting that Republicans will win the 218 seats necessary for control of the House of
Representatives after four years of Democratic control of the chamber.
Democrats keep control of the U.S. Senate:
Democrats retain enough seats to hold on to the U.S. Senate, The Washington Post projects.
As CNN, ABC, MSNBC and other networks are now projecting, though, even if the Democrats lose all 4 of those races,
they will still have 50 seats. According to Senate rules, the Vice President breaks a tie, which means Democrats will
keep control.
GOP to grab U.S. House majority; Democrats poised to retain Senate:
Republicans rode a wave of voter dissatisfaction with the state of the economy to win majority control of the U.S.
House of Representatives in Tuesday's midterm elections, while Democrats were poised to retain their majority in
the Senate.
With results still coming in and voting continuing in Western states, the extent of the Republican takeover of the
435-member House was still to be determined. But CNN projected that Republicans would win at least 52 more House
seats than they currently hold to wipe out the Democratic majority of the past four years.... -
CNN, 11-2-10
2010 election results: media coverage in portions for every appetite:
Coverage of the 2010 election results will be provided in more ways than ever before – from centuries-old
delivery methods like newspapers to ABC News's iPad application.... -
CS Monitor, 11-2-10
Exit poll: Economy dominates voters' worries:
Voters were intensely worried about the future of the economy Tuesday and unhappy with the way President Barack
Obama and Congress have been running things. They didn't hold a favorable view of either the Republican or
Democratic parties, according to an Associated Press analysis of preliminary exit poll results and pre-election
polls. Overwhelmingly, people at the polls were dissatisfied with the way the federal government is working, and
a fourth said they're angry about it.... -
AP, 11-2-10
THE HEADLINES....
Republicans in charge take aim at health overhaul:
Resurgent Republicans rallied Sunday behind an agenda based on unwavering opposition to the Obama White House and
federal spending, laying the groundwork for gridlock until their 2012 goal: a new president, a"better Senate" and
ridding the country of that demonized health care law.
Republicans said they were willing to work with President Barack Obama but also signaled it would be only on their
terms. With control of the White House and the Senate, Democrats showed no sign they were conceding the final two
years of Obama's term to Republican lawmakers who claimed the majority in the House.
Voters on Tuesday punished Democrats from New Hampshire to California, giving Republicans at least 60 new seats in
the House. Republicans picked up 10 governorships; the GOP also gained control of 19 state legislative chambers and
now holds the highest level of state legislative seats since 1928.... -
AP, 11-7-10
'Obama Comes Across as Cold, Arrogant and Elitist':
Tea Party Activists display a US Flag in front of the Capitol Building in Washington.
It was a failure of historic proportions. With US President Barack Obama's Democrats having lost control of the
House, there seems little hope for progress during his two remaining years, say German commentators. Obama himself,
they say, bears much of the blame.
On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama and his Democratic party were issued a stinging defeat in the mid-term elections
as the Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives and installed themselves in 22 governor's mansions.
Though the Democrats narrowly were able to keep control of the Senate, the Republicans, who rode the wave of anti-
incumbent sentiment and populist anger over the economy into office, now have the power to determine the House's
legislative agenda -- and to block Obama proposals. Indeed, Republican leaders in the House have already promised
that their first order of business will be to repeal Obama's health care reform -- his signature achievement.... -
Spiegal, 11-4-10
Republican establishment takes on Sarah Palin:
Senior officials from former president Bush on down say she's not ready for the presidency, and some are questioning
her recent decisions and pronouncements.... -
Cs Monirtor, 11-6-10
G.O.P. Plans to Use Purse Strings to Fight Health Law:
As they seek to make good on their campaign promise to roll back President Obama’s health care overhaul, the
incoming Republican leaders in the House say they intend to use their new muscle to cut off money for the law,
setting up a series of partisan clashes and testing Democratic commitment to the legislation.... -
NYT, 11-7-10
How Pelosi's determination could hamper Obama:
Just when President Obama thought he had all the problems he could handle, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi might have
handed him another.
Pelosi stunned many Democrats on Friday with the announcement that she will run for leader of the new Democratic
minority in the House. If her colleagues and the smart money in Washington thought she would retreat and resign
after the Democrats' 60-seat loss Tuesday, Pelosi reminded them that she didn't become the first female speaker in
history through timidity.
The question is whether she has significantly complicated life for Obama as he prepares to deal with the Republican
majority in the House and Senate Republicans led by someone who spent the week hurling thunderbolts at 1600
Pennsylvania Ave. From outside reports, the White House was conflicted about whether it wanted her to stay or go,
torn between loyalty to the speaker for all she did during the past two years and its own political needs in the
wake of Tuesday's loss.... -
WaPo, 11-6-10
GOP deciding which direction to go with new authority after midterm victory:
Jubilant over their landslide victory in the House and their pickup of six Senate seats, Republican leaders
nevertheless face a dilemma as they debate how to exert their new authority.
Their energetic conservative base is eager to thwart President Obama's every move, and if Republicans fail at
doing so, they risk disappointing the supporters who turned out in vast numbers for Tuesday's midterm elections.
But if Republicans overreach, and ultimately deliver very little, independents could return to the Democratic fold
in time to reelect Obama.... -
WaPo, 11-4-10
Jim DeMint basks in election afterglow, but did he cost GOP the Senate?:
Even as Sen. Jim DeMint emerges from the elections with widespread recognition as leader of a resurgent conservative
force in Congress, he faces criticism that the millions he spent on hard-right candidates cost Republicans control
of the Senate.
Five DeMint-backed candidates were elected to the Senate, but five were defeated — with a sixth, Joe Miller of Alaska,
trailing incumbent GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski in her historic write-in bid as an independent to keep her seat.... -
Boston Herald, 11-6-10
Are GOP leaders going too far with their criticism of Obama?:
The president certainly has been getting it from GOP leaders the past few days. But the real question regarding
Obama, the Republicans say, is: 'Is he getting it?'.... -
CS Monitor, 11-5-10
Obama Says Jobs Report Is Encouraging for Recovery:
President Barack Obama said today’s employment report is a sign that the economy is recovering from the"terrible damage" caused by the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Still, recent increases in private sector employment are"not good enough," Obama said at the White House."The unemployment rate is still unacceptably high."
Obama spoke before leaving for a 10-day trip through Asia that is focused on trade and expanding U.S. exports.
In remarks directed at Congress, he said the U.S. can't afford to get"mired" in partisan battles over policy
while countries such as China move forward to expand their economies.... -
Bloomberg, 11-5-10
Obama admits failing to sell successes to Americans:
US President Barack Obama acknowledged he had failed to persuade Americans of his administration's successes,
following an election hammering which saw his party lose control of the House of Representatives. "We were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that we stopped paying attention to the fact that
leadership isn't just legislation, that it's a matter of persuading people," Obama told CBS show"60 Minutes" in
excerpts released Friday."We haven't always been successful at that," the president added."I take personal responsibility for that, and it's something that I've got to examine carefully as I go forward."... -
AFP, 11-5-10
It's Reaction Day, which is like Election Day but lazier:
The New York Post:"HUMBLED" reads the main hed;"My fault, pres says day after Dems lose 61 seats in House."
The picture is worth a few more words: eyes downturned and closed, his mouth in a pout that gathers more flesh
under his lower lip than you probably thought he had on his whole head.
Daily News:"WOE BAMA!" is the News' slightly less serious wood for the Obama shellacking story, advertising four
pages of coverage of Reaction Day. It's a similar, but more close-cropped pouty Obama we get here. But it's time to
move on, right?... -
Capital New York, 11-4-10
GOP asserts new strength, targets Obama programs:
Victorious at the polls, congressional Republicans asserted their newfound political strength on Thursday, vowing
to seek a quick $100 billion in federal spending cuts and force repeated votes on the repeal of President Barack
Obama's prized health care overhaul.
At the White Houses, Obama said his administration was ready to work across party lines in a fresh attempt to"focus on the economy and jobs" as well as attack waste in government. In a show of bipartisanship, he invited
top lawmakers to the White House at mid-month, and the nation's newly elected governors two weeks later.... -
AP, 11-4-10
US president Barack Obama's torment at election 'shellacking':
President Barack Obama's rivals did cartwheels of jubilation yesterday after seizing control of the US Congress.
Victorious congressman Ed Perlmutter's extravagant acrobatics marked the Republicans' biggest win in the mid-term
elections since the Great Depression of 1938.
But their capture of the House of Representatives left American politics in paralysis last night as the right-wingers
looked set to hamper a major economic stimulus plan by Obama's Democrats.
In a White House press conference yesterday, the humbled President sighed:"I am not recommending for every future
president that they take a shellacking like I did last night. I am sure there are easier ways to learn these lessons."It feels bad. It's hard. I take responsibility. I've got to do a better job."
The man who swept to the White House two years ago conceded:"Some election nights are more fun than others."... -
Mirror UK, 11-4-10
Election doesn't end major discord for GOP, Obama:
Barely an hour after President Barack Obama invited congressional Republicans to post-election talks on Nov. 18
to work together on major issues, the Senate's GOP leader had a blunt message: His party's main goal is denying
Obama re-election.
"The only way to do all these things it is to put someone in the White House who won't veto any of these things,"
Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a speech to the conservative Heritage Foundation.
"I want us to talk substantively about how we can move the American people's agenda forward,"
Obama said of the upcoming meeting with lawmakers."It's not just going to be a photo op."... -
AP, 11-4-10
Democrats Outrun by a 2-Year G.O.P. Comeback Plan: "If the goal of the majority is to govern, what is the purpose of the minority?" one slide asked."The purpose of the minority," came the answer,"is to become the majority."
The presentation was the product of a strategy session held 11 days before Mr. Obama’s inauguration, when top
Republican leaders in the House of Representatives began devising an early blueprint for what they would accomplish
in Tuesday’s election: their comeback.
How they did it is the story of one of the most remarkable Congressional campaigns in more than a half-century,
characterized by careful plotting by Republicans, miscalculations by Democrats and a new political dynamic with
forces out of both parties’ control. The unpredictable Tea Party movement, the torrent of corporate money from
outside interests and an electorate with deep discontent helped shift the balance of power in Washington.
The White House struggled to keep Democrats in line, with a misplaced confidence in the power of the coalition
that propelled Mr. Obama into office. Republicans capitalized on backlash to the ambitious agenda Mr. Obama and
his party pursued, which fueled unrestricted and often anonymous contributions to conservative groups, some
advised by a nemesis Democrats thought they had shaken, Karl Rove. That money so strengthened the Republican
assault across the country that an exasperated Democratic party strategist likened it to"nuclear Whac-a-Mole."... -
NYT, 11-4-10
Voters to Republicans: Don't Get Too Comfortable:
The power shift may not last with Tea Partiers looking to disrupt their own leaders.... -
Business Week, 11-4-10
Rivalry Tests Tea-Party Clout:
House Republicans are embroiled in a leadership struggle just days after their sweeping electoral victory, testing
how much influence tea-party passions will have on how lawmakers run the chamber.
Rep. Jeb Hensarling of Texas, who raised money for many House candidates and was deeply involved in the Republicans'
campaign efforts, is running for chairman of the House Republican Conference, the No. 4 position in the House GOP,
with the backing of party leaders.
His opponent is Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, a favorite of tea-party activists who is known for her colorful
statements. Some GOP leaders believe she would be less effective, but many tea-party activists see this as a test
of whether Republicans are listening to them.... -
WaPo, 11-4-10
In state capitols, GOP engineers historic shift:
Republicans scored historic successes in state legislative elections Tuesday, exceeding even their performances
in congressional races.... -
USA Today, 11-4-10
Survivors' scenarios could help in 2012:
Figuring out why 29 vulnerable Democrats won while others lost could help leaders of both parties as they
prepare for the 2012 elections.... -
USA TODAY, 11-4-10
Boost for Keeping All Bush Tax Cuts:
President Barack Obama is open to considering the extension of all Bush-era tax cuts for a year or two, the White
House confirmed Thursday, putting to a likely end any debate over whether to extend the breaks for high-income
families.
Instead, Congress is poised to grapple with a different set of questions when it returns this month for a final
session of the current term: How and for how long should lawmakers grant an extension?.... -
WSJ, 11-4-10
White House Pushes Back on Tax Cuts for Wealthy:
While President Obama again signaled interest in finding common ground with Republicans in the wake of their
electoral triumph, the White House on Thursday drew a firmer line against making permanent Bush-era tax cuts
for the wealthiest Americans.
Mr. Obama and Republicans agree on extending the tax cuts enacted under President George W. Bush for the vast
majority of Americans, but the president has opposed making them permanent for income over $200,000 for
individuals or $250,000 for households, essentially the richest 2 percent of Americans. The tax cuts expire at
the end of the year.... -
NYT, 11-4-10
Health-Care Industry Still Braces for Change:
Repeal of the federal health-care overhaul was central to many Republican campaigns this season. But even with the
House changing hands, health insurers, drug companies and hospitals said they were planning as if the law will stick.... -
WSJ, 11-4-10
Palin’s Endorsements Lay Base for a 2012 Run:
If Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor, decides to run for president in 2012, she will now have plenty of help.
In New Hampshire, which holds the first presidential primary in the nation, Ms. Palin can count on the support of its
newly elected senator, Kelly Ayotte.
When the presidential campaign moves to South Carolina, the state’s new governor, Nikki Haley, will owe her one.
And out West, Susana Martinez, who will take office as New Mexico’s governor, will be ready to help during a
potential general election matchup with President Obama as the two parties battle over the growing number of Hispanic
voters in the Southwest.
Ms. Palin was not on any ballot. But the self-described “Mama Grizzly” had plenty at stake on Tuesday night as she
sought to bolster her credentials as the Republican Party’s most powerful kingmaker and the voice of the newly
empowered Tea Party movement.
Ms. Palin had endorsed dozens of candidates, including ones in some of the highest-profile races.... -
NYT, 11-4-10
G.O.P Captures House, but Falls Short in Senate: "Republicans captured control of the House of Representatives on Tuesday and expanded their voice in the Senate,
riding a wave of voter discontent as they dealt a setback to President Obama just two years after his triumphal
victory," writes Jeff Zeleny.... -
New York Times
Republicans capture control of House; Dems to retain Senate: "Just four years after surrendering power, Republicans recaptured control of the House and made gains in the Senate
on Tuesday night, in a major rebuff of President Obama and the Democrats by an electorate worried about the economy
and the size of the government," writes Dan Balz.... -
Washington Post
GOP Wins House in Huge Swing: "Republicans won control of the House of Representatives as voters dealt a stiff rebuke to President Barack Obama
and the Democratic Party in a historic wave that swept the GOP to power in states and districts across the country,"
write Laura Meckler and Jonathan Weisman.... -
Wall Street Journal
Republicans win House, Democrats retain Senate: "Republicans, tapping into widespread anger over the ailing economy and disappointment with President Obama's
leadership, wrested control of the House of Representatives from Democrats in Tuesday's midterm elections, but
fell just short of winning the Senate," writes Douglas Stanglin.... -
USA Today
Republicans promise limited government:
Emboldened by a commanding House majority and Senate gains, Republican leaders vowed Wednesday to roll back the size
of government and, in time, the nation's sweeping health care law. President Barack Obama, reflective after his
party's drubbing, accepted blame for failing to deliver the economic security Americans demand while saying of
his health overhaul:"This was the right thing to do."
He called the election a"shellacking."
After two years with fellow Democrats leading Congress, Obama now must deal for the rest of his term with the
jarring reality of Republican control of the House, a diminished Democratic majority in the Senate and a new flock
of lawmakers sworn to downsize government at every chance.
The capital awoke — if it ever slept — to a new political order. With their lopsided win, Republicans are ushering
in a new era of divided government and dethroning Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a prime target of their campaign.... -
AP, 11-3-10
Obama signals compromise with GOP on tax cuts:
A chastened President Barack Obama signaled a willingness to compromise with Republicans on tax cuts and energy
policy Wednesday, one day after his party lost control of the House and suffered deep Senate losses in midterm
elections.
Obama ruefully called the Republican victories"a shellacking."
At a White House news conference, the president said that when Congress returns,"my goal is to make sure we don't
have a huge spike in taxes for middle class families." He made no mention of his campaign-long insistence that tax
cuts be permitted to expire on upper-income families, a position he said would avoid swelling the deficit but put
him in conflict with Republicans.
He also virtually abandoned his legislation — hopelessly stalled in the Senate — featuring economic incentives to
reduce carbon emissions from power plants, vehicles and other sources."I'm going to be looking for other means of addressing this problem," he said."Cap and trade was just one way of
skinning the cat," he said, strongly implying there will be others.... -
AP, 11-3-10
G.O.P. Leaders Vow to Repeal Health Care Law:
At a news conference at the Capitol, the likely House speaker, Representative John A. Boehner, and the
Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, invited President Obama to work with them on these
and other goals. But they also quickly adopted an aggressive posture on some issues certain to antagonize
Democrats, including a vow to repeal the big new health care law.
Mr. Obama, at his own news conference in the East Room of the White House, called the election results “humbling,”
but he also attributed the far-reaching Republican victories largely to the public’s frustration over the slow
economic recovery."What they were expressing great frustration about is that we haven’t made enough progress
on the economy," he said.
The president said he was"eager to hear good ideas wherever they come from" and expressed a willingness to work
with Republicans."We must find common ground," he said,"in order to make progress on some uncommonly difficult challenges."
And he cited energy and education as two policy areas on which Republicans and Democrats could see eye to eye.... -
NYT, 11-3-10
Obama Takes Responsibility for Voter Frustration: "Some election nights are more fun than others," he told reporters in the East Room of the White House."Some are
exhilarating. Some are humbling."
He said that he had to take"direct responsibility" for the failure to repair the nation’s economic fortunes.
But in his opening remarks and answers to early questions, Mr. Obama refused to say that the Republican wave that
swept across the country was a fundamental rejection of his administration’s policies. "There is no doubt that people’s No. 1 concern is the economy," he said."What they were expressing great
frustration about is that we haven’t made enough progress on the economy."
The president repeatedly said that he wanted to work with the newly empowered Republicans in Washington. But he
also said more than once that there were some principles that both parties were going to be unwilling to
compromise on.... -
NYT, 11-3-10
House leaders begin outlining priorities:
Republicans on Wednesday pointed to their House takeover as a mandate to" change course" on economic policy
and key elements of President Obama's agenda, including the health care overhaul he pushed through Congress
this year.... -
USA Today, 11-3-10
Pelosi Election Results: What It Mean's for Health Care Champion:
Nancy Pelosi may not have been up for election Tuesday night, but many Republicans felt her ideas were, chief
amongst them strong support for Obama's health care plan.
Several big ticket conservatives as well as new members of Congress have pledged to roll back key pieces of
Obamacare or repeal it entirely.... -
CBS News, 11-3-10
Sarah Palin The Mama Grizzly Scorecard: She didn't appear on any ballot yet one big question of the Tuesday
night election was how well did Sarah Palin do?
Palin will point to a positive win-loss record—49 of her 77 candidates triumphed, (6 races had yet to be called by
Wednesday morning.) But many of the highest-profile races, where she had loudly interjected herself, her candidates—
Sharron Angle in Nevada, Christine O'Donnell in Delaware, and John Raese in West Virginia—lost.
Even in her home state of Alaska, her help seems to have been less than helpful. Joe Miller, the GOP candidate and
Palin protégée, ended up having to fight off the write-in candidate Lisa Murkowski, and even a last-minute bit of
McMentum—when Democratic candidate, Scott McAdams suddenly seemed to rally. By late Tuesday night, that race had
still not been called, but Murkowski was leading.
If there was a silver lining for the former Alaska Governor, it came in the form of Nikki Haley in South Carolina,
Susana Martinez in New Mexico, and Mary Fallin in Oklahoma—the first time women won governorships in those three
states.
The election may have been a vote on Obama and the Democrats. But for many watching, the most widely anticipated
other referendum was how well Palin would do. Of her 77 candidates around the nation, 20 are women—in the Palin
vernacular, her Mama Grizzlies who, she had predicted, would"rise up on their hind legs."... -
The Daily Beast, 11-3-10
Tea party-backed Rick Scott claims Fla. governor win:
Tea party-backed Republican businessman Rick Scott, who ran as an outsider vowing to shake up the political
establishment, claimed victory Wednesday as Florida's next governor after Democrat Alex Sink conceded an extremely
tight race.... -
AP, 11-3-10
California Climate Law Survives Challenge at Polls:
The defeat of Proposition 23 marked a big victory for Silicon Valley investors, who poured millions of dollars into
defending California's AB 32 law and protecting their massive investments in green technologies ranging from
solar power to electric cars. -
Reuters, 11-3-10
Boehner wants Bush tax cuts extended for all:
U.S. House of Representatives Republican leader John Boehner said on Wednesday that extending the Bush tax cuts
for all income groups is the right policy.... -
Reuters, 11-3-10
Lengthy to-do list awaits lame duck session:
Now that the elections are over, a lame-duck Congress comes back to work this month to deal with a pile of
unfinished business: whether to extend Bush-era tax cuts due to expire, give seniors a $250 Social Security
special payment and repeal the military's"don't ask, don't tell" policy against gays serving openly.
It's an open question how much they'll get done.
The current Congress returns Nov. 15 for a post-election session dominated by tax and spending issues. Rarely
has such a big pile of work faced lawmakers when the party in power has suffered so much at the ballot box.... -
AP, 11-3-10
Tea time: Republicans locking up House control:
Republicans marched toward House control Tuesday night in midterm elections shadowed by recession, locking up enough Democratic seats to install a conservative majority certain to challenge President Barack Obama at virtually every turn. Speaker-in-waiting John Boehner, his voice breaking with emotion, declared to fellow Republicans,"I'll never let you down.".... -
AP, 11-3-10
GOP takes the House, but fall short in Senate:
Resurgent Republicans won control of the House early Wednesday in midterm elections shadowed by recession, promising a conservative majority certain to challenge President Barack Obama at every turn. Speaker-in-waiting John Boehner called the results"a repudiation of Washington, a repudiation of big government and a repudiation of politicians who refuse to listen to the people."
Republicans fell short in their effort to gain control of the Senate and take full command of Congress, although they picked up at least five seats. They also wrested at least eight governorships from Democrats.
Obama telephoned Boehner shortly after midnight to congratulate him, a call that underscored the transition to divided government. -
AP, 11-3-10 comments powered by Disqus
