It's difficult enough when we lose these brave Americans in battles overseas. It's horrifying that they should come under fire at an Army base on American soil. We will make sure that we get answers to every single question about this horrible incident. ... We are going to stay on this.

-President Barack Obama

By Leighann Lord, Political Comedian

The day after the election, my Dad was mad. He said, "You know who lost the election for Mayor? Obama!" he said not waiting for an answer. I was worried that senility had come for my Dad in the night. Barack Obama wasn't running for Mayor of New York City. That pseudo contest was between incumbent Michael Bloomberg and challenger Bill Thompson.

It turns out, my Dad was convinced that if the President had spent as much time stumping for Thompson as he did for "everybody else" Thompson would've won. It's easy to believe that especially given how close the race was. Apparently $100 million doesn't buy as much of a margin as you'd think. But Obama campaigned for the governors of New Jersey and Virginia, and they both lost. Extrapolating that out, it’s conceivable that if Obama had endorsed Thompson more vigorously, he could have lost by an even wider margin.

Republicans are cooing that this is a big win for them. And quite frankly they needed it. The Grand Old Party just hasn't been itself since the last presidential election. They are going through an identity crisis of pubescent proportions. Like a desperate 30 something -- the cockiness of their 20s a distant memory -- signing up on E-Harmony, they've been looking for something real to hold onto. But is this the big chink in The Obama Mystique they've been so desperately looking for? It could be.

It's a gross miscalculation to think that everyone in the Democratic party can wrap themselves in the cloak of change and ride the wave to elected office. The losses in Virginia and New Jersey prove that charisma isn't always a tradeable asset. It's like that really cute guy who ambles over, chats you up, and then asks you to go out with his not so cute friend whom you didn't notice over at the bar drooling in your general direction. It's the Trojan Horse, Cyrano de Bergerac, bait and switch. And the voters responded in TLC fashion, "No, I don't want no scrubs!" (The grammar checker on my computer insists that this sentence should read, “any” scrubs, but I’ll risk the grammatical error to preserve the intent of the artist.)

I love Barack, but don't misconstrue that for total agreement. I'm still way burnt that the First Dog isn't a mutt and I'm getting tired of hitting the snooze button on health care. That said, I dig Obama, not the Democratic party. There's a reason why I'm still a registered Independent. It helps me keep a healthy level of skepticism of both parties, and not drink too deeply of the ever-changing flavors of called they're pedaling to whomever might be listening at the moment.

In the New York City Mayoral election I was neither delighted by nor interested in either of the candidates. Bloomberg's third term power grab with the help of the City Council was nothing short of disgusting. His money scared off all possible challengers except Thompson. I wondered more than once if Thompson was brave or just plain crazy. Perhaps it was all one big show for the Public’s benefit. The election results already predetermine, the slim margin of victory thrown in for dramatic effect. But that's a little too conspiracy-theory even for me.

The pervasive feeling among the people I talked to about Thompson was, "Is he the best the Democratic Party has to offer? Really? Seriously?" I'm sure he's a nice, hard-working man. Even Mayor Bloomberg had occasion to comment that he was excellent in his job as Comptroller, but you can't fake chemistry.

Maybe Barack didn't campaign harder for Thompson because, deep down he knew it wouldn't do any good. With 2010 looming, big political promises still to keep, and the Republicans feeling good after their election day make over, maybe President Obama needs to keep a little charisma in reserve for himself.

© 2009 Leighann Lord

Education Secretary Arne Duncan looks on at left as President Barack Obama meets with students at Wright Middle school in Madison, Wisconson.

By FNC Reporter Steve Brown

Charlie Crist laughed.

Conservative activists ... those Tea Partiers ... may not find the chuckles from Florida's Republican Governor very funny.

In an interview Monday in Ft. Lauderdale, I told Crist conservative grassroots activists ... emboldened by their impact on the special election in New York's 23rd congressional district had announced Crist was among their top targets for 2010.

That's when Crist laughed.

I jumped in and said, "I'm glad that you can keep your sense of humor about this."

"Oh, I do", Crist answered.

"They think they can do what they did  Scozzafava."

Done laughing, the Governor explained, "it is interesting I think. There is a lot of intrigue going on. Really when it gets down to people voting on Election Day what's  important is what you have done, what you stand for and what you believe in."

Crist believes it's hard to get to the political right of him. He rattles off his positions: pro-gun, pro-death penalty, a tax-cutter AND a budget cutter. He had other advantages. Crist is a very good fund-raiser. ($6M cash on hand at the end of September.) Few candidates work a crowd ... ANY crowd as thoroughly and enthusiastically as Charlie Crist. And remember, he's Governor...which proves he can win a state-wide campaign.

But for his conservative detractors, like Everett Wilkinson, the state for the Florida Tea Party movement there is the federal Stimulus package.

Wilkinson calls the 787-billion dollar spending package "generational theft"...and clearly out-of-bounds for anyone who calls themselves a conservative."

"He came out in February and supported the largest spending plan ever... and that has been a complete failure where he should have stood," says Wilkinson.

What was Wilkinson and his fellow activist prepared to do about Crist crossing the line to endorse the Stimulus package? They aim to drive Crist from the Republican primary set for next August.

The man who stands to benefit from any Sunshine State conservative up-rising would be Marco Rubio...Crist's main challenger in the primary.

Rubio trails Crist by wide margins in cash-on-hand ($6M to less than $1M for Rubio) ... in statewide polling and in name recognition. What Rubio has...is an ability to draw an impressive array of conservative supporters. Karl Rove self-reported his donation to Rubio. There was also the cover story on National Review two months ago.

The former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives is just 38-years-old. Still, Rubio will not be deterred by those who've told him he should wait for another year and another seat. And Rubio sees Republicans disappointed by Crist's perceived departures from GOP doctrine as an avenue for him to win.

" This country already has a Democratic party. It doesn't need two Democratic parties," says Rubio.

Silent in all this is Florida's most influential Republican, former Governor Jeb Bush. He has not endorsed any candidate in this race.

For Florida's Tea Partiers, they believe in the end ... they'll be the ones smiling.

Says Wilkinson, "I think the tea party movement has just begun and we're gonna continue to grow and wake America up."

by FNC Reporter Alicia Acuna

The state of Arkansas is run by a popular Democratic governor and predominantly Democratic legislature.  The congressional delegation is made up of one Republican U.S. Representative, three Democratic ones and two Democratic U.S. Senators.  But if you ask folks around here, most will describe their state as conservative.  After all, they chose Senator John McCain over Barack Obama by 20 percent in 2008.  President Obama did not make Arkansas a campaign stop last year, and everyone we interviewed on this story mentioned it.  He clearly didn't need it to win, but he may need Arkansas in 2010.  That's because Democratic Senator Blanche Lincoln is running to keep her seat in Washington and her opponents are talking like they can already taste the sweet victory. 

Doyle Webb, Chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party predicts, "This seat will change hands next year. Arkansans are ready for a change, Senator Lincoln has not been the United States Senator that they thought she was when she was elected. She's drank too much of that Potomac River water and she's forgot what it is to be an Arkansan, and become more of a Washitonian".  Senator Lincoln rejects that notion.  While she acknowledged in an interview with us that, "2010 is a gonna be a tough election year," Lincoln said, "it always is when you run midterm of a new administration.  I did it in 1994 when our own Bill Clinton...had just won the presidency, it was midterm of his first term. And it's always difficult."

Adding to the Senator's challenge, is the debate on healthcare reform.  Dr. Art English a professor with The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Political Science department says, "I actually think she'll win re-election but it may be a bit of a struggle. But right now I think with the health care debate, of course she's been right in the vortex of that because of her re-election."

 Senator Lincoln says she does not support a government run, government funded option, but says the country needs to reform its health care system. In its current version, the health care reform bill introduced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, is not popular with Arkansans.  This state has the second largest senior citizen population in the country (Florida is first). Concerns about potential Medicare cuts and increased taxes prompted a group called, 60plus.org to run TV ads appealing to Senator Lincoln.

She's  in a tough spot: does she go with national party loyalty? Or cast a vote that reflects the constituents back home?  Either way, she loses something.  What Senator Lincoln does seem to get is the impatience growing around the goals of this administration. She told us, "People's expectations have been high and most of them know that we don't move at breakneck speeds in Washington.  But unfortunately when expectations go up, people want to see the results, and I want to bring them results, but I want to make sure that it's positive and it's what's right for Arkansas, it's what's right for the country".

Election day 2010 is not only a year away, it's an eternity away in political time. A lot can happen, and probably will.

 by FNC Reporter Molly Line

Voters in upstate New York hit the polls today in the wake of whirlwind developments shaking up the race for the 23rd Congressional district's open seat.

Two very different candidates are left standing in this battle- Democrat Bill Owens and the Conservative Party Candidate Doug Hoffman.

Republican Dede Scozzafava pulled out and the repercussions are still echoing.

Democrat Bill Owens picked up her endorsement and garnered last minute backing from organized labor- a vote was split before Scozzafava, who's husband is a union leader, pulled from the contest.

Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate, has grassroots support that helped him climb up in the polls.

Hoffman is a pro-life fiscal conservative who promises to cut taxes and reduce government spending. His campaign has the backing of Tea Party activists and prominent conservatives, like Fred Thompson and Sarah Palin.

The Republican National Committee first endorsed Scozzafava but, were quick to throw their backing to Hoffman when she left the race- the RNC and the National Republican Congressional Committee have made 140,000 calls on Hoffman's behalf since Sunday.

Hitting the polls early this morning, Owens says voters have a clear choice.

"We can go backward to the Bush agenda which includes tax cuts for the very wealthy, privatization of social security and tax credits for companies that send jobs overseas, the recession, a 4.9 trillion dollar addition to the deficit, or they can move forward with us," Owens said.

Doug Hoffman says he's fighting for the heart and soul of the Republican Party, backed by grassroots support.

Republican Scozzafava freed her supporters but, it's unclear where her votes will go now.

As a pro-choice, pro-gay marriage candidate with moderate views on tax issues, she appealed to some Democrats and Independent voters who could peal away towards the Owens camp, however, the majority of her voters identified with the GOP and their support could benefit Hoffman who now has the backing of national party leaders.

The unusual battle has sparked much debate over whether the results are evidence of a rift in the GOP or just a anomaly resulting from unique circumstances that allowed local republican leaders to hand-pick a nominee, rather than voters.

House Minority Leader John Boehner weighed in today saying political rebellion among conservatives is bigger than most people imagine.

"They don't have a primary in New York. If they had a primary this would have been resolved weeks ago but, what has happened over the last two or three weeks, basically has been the Republican primary," Boehner said.