Conservatism Didn't Lose in NY-23  —  BEGIN TRANSCRIPT  —  RUSH: These are my thoughts on New York 23.  In the first place I'll have to double-check this but I'm reasonably sure that this was the highest percentage of the vote ever won on the Conservative Party line by a House or Senate candidate.

Lindsey Graham warns GOP against going too far right  —  The morning after Republicans lost an upstate New York House seat, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) warned that conservative activists will bring destruction to the Republican Party if they drive out moderate candidates across the country.

Gibbs dismisses losses as ‘local elections’  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed Democratic electoral defeats in New Jersey and Virginia as “two very local elections” that say nothing about President Barack Obama's standing with the American people right now.

Prejean Sex Tape Triggers Settlement  —  Carrie Prejean demanded more than a million dollars during her settlement negotiations with Miss California USA Pageant officials — that is, until the lawyer for the Pageant showed Carrie an XXX home video of her handiwork.

Letter to Reid on healthcare from former Surgeon General Koop shuts Senate  —  A letter about healthcare reform to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) from former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop triggered a security scare that briefly shut down much of the Senate on Wednesday.

House leaders prepare for rare Saturday vote on health-care bill  —  CBO: GOP measure would cover few uninsured  —  House leaders put in motion the machinery to hold a rare Saturday vote on the most far-reaching expansion of the health-care system in more than 40 years.

North and South in the Republican Party  —  One of my commenters has some thoughts on NY-23: … This resonates with me, because my mom's from Western New York.  I remember once noting that until I was in college, I hadn't known any Republicans, to which my mother blinked, and replied “You knew your grandparents.”

Kerik Expected to Accept Prison Term in Corruption Case  —  Bernard B. Kerik, New York City's former police commissioner, is expected to plead guilty on Thursday to a single conspiracy charge in an agreement that would resolve the three pending federal criminal trials he faces in New York and Washington …

Axelrod to ABC News on Voters' Economic Anxiety: “There is a Heavy Burden That Falls on the Governing Party.  That's Just Something You Accept.  That's Part of the Deal”  —  This afternoon we spoke with White House senior adviser David Axelrod about the election results.

Homeland Security Seeks New Ideas  —  The federal agency plans to adopt the Transportation Security Administration's IdeaFactory crowd-sourcing application to encourage brainstorming by employees.  —  The Department of Homeland Security is latching onto one of the Transportation Security Administration's …

As Inhofe's Climate Bill Boycott Continues, Kerry, Graham, Lieberman Try End-Around  —  Colorless, odorless, invisible, deadly.  GOP senators boycott Tuesday's climate bill markup.  (photo via talkradionews)  —  James Inhofe (R-OK) appeared briefly today at a climate bill markup …

No longer taking care of business  —  The aide who helped turn Rep. Michele Bachmann into a controversial mainstay of cable news has informed colleagues that she's quitting — just as the firebrand Republican congresswoman prepares for her biggest media moment yet.

AP Sources: AARP to endorse House health care bill  —  WASHINGTON — Officials are telling The Associated Press that AARP_the seniors' lobby_will endorse the health care overhaul bill that House Democrats are preparing to take to the floor.  —  Officials with knowledge of the group's decision told …

How Gay Marriage Lost In Maine  —  Mainers, and national observers, have woken up this morning asking how the Yes on 1 coalition won this fight.  Through most of the lead up to this vote, observers (including myself) felt that it would be extremely close, potentially to a recount, and that the No on 1 folks had the early advantage.

Classical Music Takes Center Stage at the White House  —  WASHINGTON — Wednesday was classical music day at the White House.  The festivities and performances were sponsored by the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, created by executive order in 1982.

That's NOT YOUR CAKE, Barack Obama!  —  That's BLUE GAL'S Anniversary Cake!  Her blog is five years old today!  —  I don't know how FOX News can claim they aren't a propaganda arm of the Republican Party after they sent you a half-eaten (Cavuto, natch) “aborted white babies” theme cake.

Bachmann Watch  —  We've spent the day trying to get a handle on just what Michele Bachmann (R-MN) has in mind with her boffo Capitol Hill Tea Party event tomorrow, whether she's going to get the crowd riled up and just send them in or actually lead the protestors into the offices.

French accuse Tories of EU ‘autism’  —  French Europe minister says David Cameron's pledge to reclaim EU powers is ‘pathetic’ and will leave Britain isolated  —  The Conservatives were accused by the French government tonight of “castrating” Britain's position within the EU by adopting an …