Pulse Of The Nation: A Year After Election '08
NPR News examines where the nation stands one year after the Obama victory and one year ahead of the elections that will serve as a referendum on his administration.
Series Overview: The Pulse Of The Nation
()One year ago, the nation elected its first black president and gave him Democratic majorities in the House and Senate. One year later, the focus for many lawmakers will begin to change from the mandate of 2008 to the challenge of 2010. The results will inevitably serve as a referendum on the new administration.
How Many Losses For The Democrats In 2010?()
November 6, 2009 Historically the party that holds the White House almost always loses seats in its first midterm election. When one party holds the White House, the House and the Senate, the losses tend to be bigger. If the economy doesn't turn around, it will be a very difficult election year for Democrats.
GOP Revels In Success, But Some Are Cautious()
November 5, 2009 The environment could hardly be better for Republicans — the out party typically scores big in off-year elections, particularly when the economy is flagging. The party sees a chance for big gains in next year's midterms, even as it deals with its own internal ideological battles.
GOP Sets Sights On Conservative 'Blue Dog' Democrats()
November 5, 2009 Republicans, fresh off electoral wins this week, are looking ahead to the 2010 midterms with their hit lists ready. Some of their top House targets: Blue Dog Democrats, many of whom have pushed back on the president's top domestic initiatives.
What Election Results Say About The Obama Effect()
November 4, 2009 The midyear election is historically a bad one for first-term presidents. This year, there's no argument that the Democrats got a slap in the face, and the Republicans got a much-needed victory. But what does this tell us about President Obama's likely effect in 2010?
Political Foes Team Up To Improve Voter Registration()
November 3, 2009 Advisers from recent Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns have joined together to try to come up with a better way to register voters. In the future, for example, a voter's record could be automatically updated when he or she moves.
Fate Of Democrats' Majority Rests On Job Growth()
November 3, 2009 The economy looms large Tuesday as an issue in New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine's re-election bid and the other elections around the country. But President Obama's record on job creation will be front and center once again a year from now, when many more races will be on the ballot.
Ohio Shaping Up As Battleground in 2010()
November 2, 2009 On the eve of Election Day, many are already looking to next year's midterm elections. And no place will be watched more closely than Ohio, where the governorship, a U.S. Senate seat and three key congressional districts are up for grabs. Will a drop in enthusiasm for Obama, due largely to the state's still slumping economy, hurt Democratic candidates?
In Colorado, All Eyes On Unaffiliated Voters()
November 2, 2009 The only way to win in this former red state is by appealing to the nearly one-third of Colorado voters who don't belong to a party. Republicans are still the largest party here, and they are hoping to lure swing voters back to the GOP.
Obama's Support From Pa. Independents Erodes()
November 1, 2009 A new poll shows just 40 percent of voters in Pennsylvania believe the president is doing a good or excellent job, versus 59 percent who grade his performance as fair or poor. Among independents, his approval rating is even lower. Photo: A 2008 rally in Pa.
Politics
Midterm Elections And First-Term Presidents()
November 1, 2009 No matter how popular a first-term president is, modern midterm congressional elections have rarely spelled good news for his political party. Since 1946, the president's party has almost invariably suffered losses in one or both chambers of Congress.
