By Mark Memmott

On the morning after the morning after the analysis continues about what, if anything, Tuesday's elections say about the mood of the country, the president's popularity and what will happen on Election Day in 2010.

Politico says the results have congressional Democrats "focused like never before on jobs -- their own."

The Boston Globe strikes a similar theme: " Democratic moderates who will determine the fate of much of President Obama's domestic agenda heard an early warning from this week's off-year elections: Congress had better do something about the economy, or sitting lawmakers will lose their jobs in 2010."

The Wall Street Journal says the votes have "left Democrats scrambling to renew the coalition that elected President Barack Obama after independent voters, whose power to determine U.S. elections is rising with their numbers, broke heavily toward Republicans."

At The New York Times, the focus is on the other side: "Energized GOP Looking To Avoid An Intraparty Feud."

And USA TODAY is looking well down the road. It's top political story is headlined "Huckabee Leads Republican Prospects In Poll." Those prospects would be the Republican Party's 2012 presidential hopefuls.

On Morning Edition, Republican political strategist Mike Murphy told host Steve Inskeep that the biggest message from Tuesday's elections was that voters' honeymoon with President Barack Obama is over:

As for other stories making headlines, the include the U.N.'s decision to relocate about half its staff in Afghanistan following last week's attack on a guest house in Kabul.

Also on Morning Edition Andrew Exum of the Center for a New American Security told host Renee Montagne that Obama should use the possibility of sending more troops to Afghanistan as leverage to push President Hamid Karzai to clean up government corruption:

Later today, All Things Considered is planning to spend an hour on Afghanistan and the issues Obama is considering as he debates whether to send more U.S. troops there. Click here to find an NPR station near you.

Other news:

-- The Associated Press -- AARP To Endorse House Health Care Plan: "The House is steaming toward a historic vote on President Barack Obama's remake of the U.S. health care system, with Democratic leaders increasingly confident and the powerful seniors' lobby AARP about to get on board. A debate and vote are expected Saturday on the 10-year, $1.2 trillion bill that would extend coverage to 96 percent of Americans, require employers to insure their employees and bar such insurance company practices as dropping coverage for sick people."

-- The Guardian's Greenslade blog -- Reporter For French News Service Detained In Iran: "An Iranian journalist working for the international news agency Agence France Presse has been detained by Iran's security forces. Farhad Pouladi was taken into custody while on his way to cover a state-sanctioned rally to mark the 30th anniversary of the US embassy takeover. AFP's acting bureau chief in Tehran, Jay Deshmukh, says the reporter's whereabouts are unknown."

And finally, there's the 27th World Series championship for the New York Yankees:

Hideki Matsui of the New York Yankees hits a 2-run home run in the bottom of the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game Six of the 2009 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium on November 4, 2009 in the Bronx borough of New York City. Matsui, who hit three home runs in the six games, was the Series MVP. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Matsui was the man. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)

As NPR's Mike Pesca said on Morning Edition, the Yankees got some clutch performances from some big stars and proved they are "once again the toughest out in baseball":

categories: Afghanistan, Morning Roundup, Politics, Sports

7:45 - November 5, 2009

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