Post-voting surveys showed that the #1 concern amongst voters was health care reform, either pro or con, so I'd say that does go back to Obama..

Everyone, myself included, likes to appear smarter than they actually are, and commenting after the fact is an easy way to do this. Another demonstration on how easy it is to frighten the American public.

It's not easy being the carbonunit

That's very true. The lead up before the voting ever happened saw some extreme spinning from either side and hindsight is sometimes 20/20. Dems were already pretty much conceding the contest the day before the vote in an example of trying to contain the negatives they knew were coming.

I still don't see the Brown victory as anything but bad news for Obama, though I think the news is worse if you're up-for-a-re-election-you-have-zero-chance-of-winning Harry Reid or a Nancy Pelosi who has to try and keep control over a caucus that is only interested in getting re-elected in 2010 and can see the writing on the wall.

The smugness from Repubs over all of this makes me want to puke. I can see where true independents have reason to celebrate and those who really want to see a seismic change in how this country is governed would be happy, but Repubs? Please. Most Repubs are a big part of the problem, not part of the solution.

it's SPIN....or this board for that matter. LOL

Conveniently packaged as the first 3 editorials in today's Town Hall are Ann Coulter, Michael Barone and Victor Davis Hansen. Read them and understand that they understand exactly what happened not just on Tuesday, but what has been happening for the last 6 months, indeed the last 30 years. And you liberals who automatically attack people like Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh every time you hear their name, just read and understand. Today she is relatively calm - and 100% correct.

Brown's victory is a watershed moment that will mark the time that the country was taken back by the people.

Americans are fine with America as it was created and been run by a great system that keeps the extremists on both sides under control most of the time. Only huge mistakes have been the Great Society thing that ruined black families and created an entitlement system and possibly giving women the right to vote and allowing Senators to be elected rather than appointed by the state legislatures.

Probably should also include Roosevelt's social programs that made the Great Depression much longer than it should have. At least we won't have to add Obama's mini-Depression to that list.

I can see Brown running for President in 2012. By then he will have twice as much Senate experience as Obama did when he ran. And Brown has a much more interesting background - more American, so to speak.

For an old drunk, Sam Adams' statement is pretty profound.

The pendulum has reached its left margin.
As a former resident of Massachusetts, I never expected them to elect a republican to fill Ted Kennedy’s senate seat. What a shocker. And the ultimate irony is: the democrat controlled MA legislature passed the law requiring a special election a few years back during Romney’s tenure to prevent GovRomney from appointing republicans to fill vacant seats. So the dems in Mass did it to themselves. LOL

Cal Beverly was right. Buyers’ remorse on Obama has officially set in. The pendulum has reached the left limit of its swing. The swing back toward the center is gaining momentum. The people have realized they were sold a pack of lies about “hope, change and transparency” in 2008 and they are fed up. But President Obama still doesn’t get it. In the aftermath of Scott Brown’s election in Massachusetts, President Obama said, “One thing that I regret this year is that we were so busy just getting things done and dealing with the immediate crises in front of us, that I think we lost some of, of, you know, speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are.” You’ve got to be kidding. How out of touch can he possibly get? After nine hundred and eleven speeches and 42 news conferences last year, the American people are tired of being spoken “to” by President Obama. It is time for POLITICIANS TO LISTEN. We don’t need politicians to tell us about core values. WE ALREADY KNOW THEM. Our core values are the ones that made America great - not the politically correct values being forced down our throats by this administration, Reid & Pelosi. Health care is NOT a RIGHT. It is a privilege that is earned.
President Obama even blamed the election of Scott Brown, NOT on the events of the past 1-2 years, but on the events of the last 8 years. More Bush bashing. OMG. How self-deluded can one man possibly be??? Like it or not, the election of Scott Brown was a referendum on the policies and direction of the Obama administration and Congress (republicans and democrats alike).

Because our current Congress will never pass any new law that puts a limit their term of office, it is time for the American people to force term limits DOWN THEIR THROATS. It is time to enact term limits for all national level politicians. Every politician should get ONE six year term. That’s it. No more career politicians. If you can string together a House seat, a senate seat, and the Presidency, fine. You must be doing something right. But that will be the exception, not the rule. We don’t need any more Kennedys, Thurmonds, Byrds, Bidens or McCains serving multiple decades. We need selflessly motivated and enthusiastic citizens who are in touch with average Americans and want to be elected so they can do their civic duty to improve our nation - not improve their own personal power, coffers or sense of grandiose self-importance.
TERM LIMITS NOW!

Ruth Kimble

The Republican party didn’t win the election in Massachusetts as much as Democrats lost the election. This was a vote against the libs and Obama’s policies.

It is going to be up to true conservatives to take advantage of this opportunity and show that we have better ideas and see them implemented. Otherwise, this will be nothing but a short-lived hollow victory.

"If ever a time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." - Samuel Adams

Mr Brown's election to the Senate can not be viewed a victory for Republicans, nor can it be entirely viewed a defeat for Democrats. The victory is for the 'middle' American who has been known to vote for candidates in each party. It is for those who hold the belief that the American Dream continues to exist. It is for those silent multitudes who are appalled at the manner in which their government operates.

Could it be that we are on the brink of another 'Contract With America' of sorts? Except this time it may well have teeth. Surely those on both sides of the aisle in our Nations Capital can understand and see the frustration of their constituency and realize that the manner in which they have conducted the People's Business is substandard and no longer acceptable.

Congressmen of the ilk of Westmoreland, Nadler, Frank, and so many others are no longer assured of reelection. Now they must produce or get the hell out of the way.

I would pay good money to watch that pompous fool Barney Frank lose an election - as he should after his role in the mortgage meltdown. As we saw Tuesday anything is now possible and dumping Barney really feels possible.

Specter and Reid are on their way out. Even Barbara Boxer could get the boot.

In the House, 20-30 seats going Republican seems likely. Why did you include Westmoreland? He's a reliable yes or no vote depending upon what is needed even if he lacks imagination.

Because he's the biggest pompous a$$ up there. His head grew larger than his waist line as early as the first time he was finally able to get elected to state office in the House of Representatives. Anyone who knew Lynn when he was a Century 21 Realtor who speaks to him now will quickly spot his inflated arrogance. Lynn Westmoreland is not in Washington to further the interest of the citizens of Fayette or Coweta Counties. Westmoreland is their to further the interest of Lynn Westmoreland.

Yes, I do. Fact is, Mr Brown carried old Barney's district which given the right candidate, would make him vulnerable.

I include Westmoreland simply because he (to me) typifies the average Congressperson who does little other than espouse their party line. I'm not saying he has done nothing, nor am I saying he is ineffective, but there are better out there.

My fervent hope is that people like Scott Brown will continue to surface and win seats from those entrenched in their seats of power. Last year, John Murtha of Pennsylvania was in a heated race for a seat he has held for decades winning primarily due to the popularism of Mr Obama. You may be right in that the Repubs gain several seats, but I would contend that the number of incumbents losing will be most significant.

Your characterization "lacks imagination" can be applied to numerous Members of Congress on both sides. Americans like myself are frustrated with Congress as a whole, not by party affiliation, but for their sheer elitist "I know what's best for you" attitude.