WEAK KNEES KEEP SHAKING.... In Tuesday's congressional races, voters sent two more House Democrats to Congress, expanding an already-large Democratic majority on the Hill.  In 2008, the electorate made a House Democratic majority bigger, and in 2009, Dems went five for five in special elections, making that majority bigger still.

Bachmann calls for ‘scare’ tactics  —  In a conference call Wednesday night with bloggers and activists for the advocacy group Americans for Prosperity, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) called on protesters to “scare” members of Congress into killing the proposed health care reform bill.

Congressional Budget Office Thrashes Republican Health-Care Plan  —  Republicans are learning an unpleasant lesson this morning: The only thing worse than having no health-care reform plan is releasing a bad one, getting thrashed by CBO and making the House Democrats look good in comparison.

Crist says he never backed stimulus measure  —  (CNN) - Florida Gov. Charlie Crist tells CNN he never endorsed President Obama's $787 billion stimulus measure, in what appears to be the latest effort by the Florida Republican to distance himself from the president as he seeks his party's Senate nomination.

Huckabee, Romney, Palin See Most Republican Support for '12  —  Huckabee, Romney viewed as most qualified of possible Republican presidential candidates  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Looking ahead to the 2012 presidential election, 71% of Republicans say they would seriously consider voting for Mike Huckabee.

Right-wing protesters at GOP rally display prominent sign tying health care to the Holocaust.  —  ThinkProgress' Lee Fang snapped this photograph of a prominent sign being displayed at today's GOP anti-health care rally.  It's unclear whether this sign is one of the many being handed …

Did Financial Innovation Cause Deng Xiaoping's Economic Reforms?  —  Eugene Fama makes a curious claim on behalf of financial innovation since 1980: … A banker in Frankfurt put this same point to me, apparently believing it's a brilliant argumentative trump card.

Michelle Obama to star with Nigella Lawson as she becomes first presidential wife to appear on a reality show  —  Michelle Obama is to be the first presidential wife to appear on a reality TV series.  —  The First Lady will make a guest appearance on ‘Iron Chef America’ which features British cook Nigella Lawson as a judge.

Unhealthy America  —  The moment of truth for health care is at hand, and the distortion that perhaps gets the most traction is this: … That self-aggrandizing delusion may be the single greatest myth in the health care debate.  In fact, America's health care system is worse than Slov—er, oops, more on that later.

The Vote for Mayor, Block by Block  —  Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg won re-election Tuesday, but voters were less enthusiastic about him than the last time he ran in 2005.  The mayor did well in high-income white areas of Manhattan and Queens, and also in election districts dominated by immigrants, like Flushing and Brighton Beach.

IAEA found nothing serious at Iran site: ElBaradei  —  VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. inspectors found “nothing to be worried about” in a first look at a previously secret uranium enrichment site in Iran last month, the International Atomic Energy chief said in remarks published Thursday.

Productivity and Costs, Third Quarter 2009, Preliminary  —  Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL-09-1330 8:30 a.m. (EST) Thursday, November 5, 2009  —  • www.bls.gov/lpc Media contact: (202) 691-5902  Nonfarm business sector labor productivity increased …

Fresh on the heels of repeal in Maine, N.H. may reconsider gay marriage  —  DOVER — Now that gay marriage has been defeated in Maine, attention again shifts to New Hampshire, where lawmakers say momentum from Tuesday's vote may fuel legislation to repeal the state's law and give voters a say.