From NBC's Mark Murray
In the final NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll before Tuesday's midterm elections, 49% of likely voters say they prefer a GOP-controlled Congress, versus 43% who want Democrats in charge.

That's virtually unchanged from the NBC/WSJ survey from two weeks ago, when the GOP held a 50%-43% generic-ballot advantage among likely voters.

Among the larger universe of registered voters -- a less reliable gauge of those who will participate in a midterm election -- the GOP edge in the current poll shrinks to two points, 46% to 44%. That's a reversal from two weeks ago, when Democrats held a two-point advantage with registered voters.

For the registered Republicans who prefer a Republican-controlled Congress, 15% of them say their vote is to protest the Obama administration's performance; 20% say it's to protest the performance by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and congressional Democrats; and another 10 percent say it's to protest both.

On the other hand, 48% say their vote isn't a protest vote -- but rather a positive vote for Republicans.

The full NBC/WSJ poll -- which was taken from Oct. 28-30, and which has an overall margin of error of plus-minus 3.1 percentage points -- will be released later tonight.

From NBC's Shawna Thomas
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) seemed to show relaxed optimism this morning as he met with voters here. His prediction for Tuesday night: “I think we’re going to have a big win.”

Boehner, the potential next Speaker of the House, and congressional candidate Steve Stivers shook hands with people at a restaurant down the street from the Ohio State University and dropped by a call center in Ohio’s 15th District. This district is the scene of a rematch between Stivers, a businessman, and incumbent Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy (D). Kilroy won her race in 2008 by the narrowest of margins and underperformed President Obama by more than any Democrat in the country. NBC rates the race Lean Republican.

Talking with a patron about working non-stop for nine months, Boehner joked, “I’ll have a baby Tuesday night…a big one.” (Rep. John Boccieri, a Democrat from Ohio, had to leave a rally with Bill Clinton yesterday because Boccieri's wife went into labor.)

Boehner told another woman, when asked if he was looking forward to this “next wave in Congress, “I sure am.” The group around him laughed.

He didn’t answer questions about the president’s visit to Ohio today or the thwarted possible attempted terrorist attack from Friday.

The top Republican charged with expanding his party's caucus in the United States Senate denied a report Sunday that national Republicans are abandoning Alaska GOP nominee Joe Miller in favor of write-in candidate Lisa Murkowski.

"That's not the case," National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman John Cornyn said on ABC's "This Week." "We are supporting the nominee of our party, which is Mr. Miller.”

Cornyn did add that he is "concerned" about the state of the race, and he declined to say whether he believes Miller can win. "I think that polls are very close now between Senator Murkowski and Joe Miller, and what we want to make sure of is that the Democrat doesn't win," he said.

Incumbent Republican Murkowski, who was defeated by Miller in the primary but has led in recent polls, was stripped of her Senate leadership position after launching what initially seemed to be a long shot attempt to keep her Senate seat with a write-in campaign.

Cornyn's Democratic counterpart, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee head Sen. Bob Menendez, says that his candidate in the race could snatch the victory away from the two Republicans.

"We believe that Scott McAdams actually has a real chance of winning this race," Menendez said on ABC.

From NBC's John Yang
LAS VEGAS -- The dead-heat race between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Tea Party-backed Republican Sharron Angle comes down to a contest between the efficiency and effectiveness of a well-oiled get-out-the-vote organization and the energy and enthusiasm of a grass roots movement .

Fresh data from the Nevada Secretary of State's office on in-person early voting, which ended at 9 p.m. Friday, suggests the power of each side -- and leaves the outcome too-close-to-call.

With the official Election Day two days away, 379,589 Nevada voters have already gone to the polls -- about 60 to 65 percent of the Secretary of State's projected turnout of about 700,000. A late surge of registered Democrats voting gave the party a 42.9%-41.1% edge in registered voters -- though which candidate they voted for isn't known. Chalk one up for an organization?

But Republicans turned out for early voting in a greater proportion than their registration numbers; Republicans make up 36.7 percent of registered voters. A sign of the power of the Tea Party movement?

And while the last Mason-Dixon poll, which gave Angle a statistically insignificant 4 percentage point lead, give Reid 84% of the Democrats and Angle 85% of the Democrats, Angle led among independents 55%-38%. But only 16% of early voters were independents, while 21.3% of registered voters are independents.

Both candidates remain very unpopular: 56% -- a record -- say they had unfavorable opinion of Reid and 45% said the same thing of Angle. Still, only 2% of those surveyed said they would chose "none of the above," which is an option in all statewide Nevada elections.

Sandoval leads Rory Reid by wide margin
While one Reid is locked in a tight battle in Nevada, another Reid on the statewide ballot is trailing badly.

Rory Reid, the embattled Senate majority leader's son and chairman of the state's biggest county's commissioners, trails Republican Brian Sandoval, a former federal judge, 54%-38% in a new Las Vegas Review-Journal/KLAS-TV poll. Sandoval beat the scandal-ridden incumbent, Jim Gibbons (R), in the Republican primary.

From NBC's Shawna Thomas
Columbus, OH -- House Minority Leader John Boehner didn’t deviate to much from his stump speech while campaigning in Ohio Saturday. In this last weekend before the midterm elections, he is making appearances in many of the Ohio districts that the GOP wants to wrestle away from the Democrats -- the very races that could allow them to take control of the House and Boehner to claim the title of speaker.

The one hiccup may have been a closed-to-press meet and greet for GOP volunteers in Toledo, OH where Boehner stood next to Richard Iott, who is running in Ohio’s 9th congressional district. Iott perhaps is best known for participating in World War II re-enactments that involve him dressing up in Nazi-garb. Although House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, who is Jewish, tried to distance himself from Iott earlier this month, Boehner looked happy to support him in a video some members of the press were allowed to watch after the event (but were not given a copy of).

As Iott left the Lucas County Republican headquarters yesterday, he was asked whether he would support Boehner for speaker. Iott's response: “I don’t know. We have to wait and see.” Boehner went in and out the back door of this event, much to the chagrin of the press and protesters waiting outside.

The minority leader’s other events -- which he rolled up to in a large bus -- went more smoothly. His visits to Canton and Zanesville were met with adoring crowds in districts where Democrats are vulnerable and the National Republican Congressional Committee has labeled the Republican candidates as “Young Guns.” This is the NRCC’s term for candidates who “give America the best opportunity to move our country in the right direction.”

In Canton, Boehner had nice words for Jim Renacci, the Republican running against first term incumbent Rep. John Boccieri (D) in Ohio’s 16th district. “We’ve got a lot of great candidates all around the country, but I’m going to tell you what. There’s no candidate who’s run a better campaign for the last year and a half then Jim Renacci.”

(Across town, which isn’t really all that far away, Boccieri was appearing with former President Bill Clinton when he received work his wife was going into labor. The family welcomed their fifth child into the world a little after 6:00 pm.)

John McCain won the 16th district in 2008, and it's currently considered to be a Toss Up. NBC’s political unit has said about this district, “If Republicans don’t win this seat, it could signal the GOP might have a tough time winning control.”

After an appearance in Hanoverton, OH, Boehner made his way to Zanesville to stump with congressional candidate Bob Gibbs and senate nominee Rob Portman. Zanesville is in Ohio’s 18th District, another one with a vulnerable Democrat, Rep. Zack Space. NBC News has also labeled this district a “Toss Up.”

Boehner told the Zanesville audience he understood what was going on in the real world outside of DC. “I come from a big family. I’ve got 11 brothers and sisters... The president and some others on the left try to paint me as though I’m out of touch with what’s going on in the real world. Listen, I’ve got two of my brothers who are unemployed. I’ve got two of my brother-in-laws that are unemployed. Don’t tell me I don’t understand what’s going on out in the streets of America and how desperate the situation is.”

Today, Boehner is supposed to appear in Columbus, OH with Republican congressional candidate Steve Stivers in a district represented by vulnerable first-term Democrat Mary Jo Kilroy. He follows that up with another appearance with Bob Gibbs in Chillicothe, OH.

Their event attracted scores of journalists, high-profile musical talent, and - if Comedy Central's "unofficial estimate" is in the right ballpark -- well over 200,000 people.

But did Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert accomplish what they wanted?

"We're proud of ourselves. We're proud of the show we did," Stewart told reporters at a press conference after the rally. "For us, the success of it was the execution of the idea and the intention."

The two comedians mostly steered away from questions from the press about the political implications of the event, repeatedly characterizing the afternoon's mixture of comedy, musical performances, and an appeal for political reasonableness as "a show."

"We wanted to do really good show for people who took the time to come out and see us," said Stewart.

The two comedians also batted away questions about their role in American politics, saying that the Beltway mentality of "who's up and who's down" does not apply to their schtick.

"Our currency is not this town's currency," Stewart said. "We're not running for anything. We don't have a constituency. We do television shows for people who like them," he said, jokingly adding that the success of their cable "faux news" shows allows network Comedy Central to "continue to sell beer to young people."

Stewart pointedly declined to urge people to vote. When asked whether or not he should have used the stage to urge people to participate in the midterm elections, he replied, "I think people should do what moves them. That's not my place to make that choice for them. That's theirs."

The "Daily Show" funnyman hinted that he had some regrets about referring to President Barack Obama as "dude" during a Wednesday interview, noting that he always engages in some Monday morning quarterbacking after sitting down with major guests.

"But I also, when King Abdullah of Jordan was on, I called him 'Broseph,'" he joked, "so it's just something I do."

Between the rally, the presidential interview, and the presence of international media at their public appearances, the mantle of political relevance has been newly thrust upon the two comedians -- regardless of how openly they welcome it.

But Stewart argues that he does not use his comedic persona as a shroud or an excuse to shrug off criticism of the content of the shows that he and Colbert produce.

"I'm really proud that I'm a comedian. I think it's hard," he said.

"That's not a dodge. That's pride."

While not every Democratic candidate out there is embracing President Obama, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) features him in what appears to be her closing TV ad in her race against Carly Fiorina (R).*** UPDATE *** Fiorina spokeswoman Andrea Saul has this response to the ad: "The only job Barbara Boxer is fighting for is her own. After nearly three decades in Washington, all she has to show for herself are 2.2 million Californians out of work with more than half a million jobs lost since the stimulus passed and green jobs outsourced to other countries. The fact of the matter is, the only way to change Washington is to change the people we send there, which is why voters will choose to end Boxer's 28-year career as a politician on Nov. 2"

Ohio Rep. John Boccieri (D) had to leave from a rally with Bill Clinton because his wife went into labor.

The AP:

CANTON, Ohio -- Alliance Democrat Rep. John Boccieri got a call he had been waiting for Saturday afternoon, and all of a sudden his last-minute campaigning for re-election came to a halt. Boccieri was informed his wife, Stacey, had gone into labor. He dashed off the stage of a rally being held for himself and other Democrats and headed off to be with his wife.

His quick exit caused former President Bill Clinton -- the guest of the honor at the rally -- to exclaim: "Another Democrat!"

VIDEO: A breakdown of Election Night, by the numbers. What Republicans need to take back the House and Senate, what Democrats need to do to hold.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is going up with an ad in Alaska, taking aim at Lisa Murkowski.

Here's the script:

Narrator: Maybe it was the fancy cocktail parties… Or all those pretty monuments. Whatever the reason – Lisa Murkowski has gone Washington. She voted for deficit exploding budgets that wrecked our economy. (On Screen: "Exploding Budgets.")

A plan to privatize Social Security. (On Screen: Privatize Social Security.) And when she voted to bailout Wall Street banks that gave billions in bonuses to their CEOs. (On Screen: Bailout Wall Street Banks.)

Well she turned her back on us…once and for all.

The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.

From msnbc.com's Carrie Dann and Ryan McCartney:

Washington, D.C. -- It's a crisp, sunny fall day here and thousands are gathering on the National Mall for the Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear." Since noon, the crowd has been warmed up and entertained by the likes of The Roots, John Legend and the hosts of "Myth Busters."

The crowds stretch for about four blocks at this point with more people streaming in on both sides of the Mall. Unlike the Glenn Beck rally last August (which this one is seen as the counter rally), there are plenty of signs being sported today.

Some examples: A sign in Islamic script with a subtitle reading: "Relax, it just says McDonalds"; another that says "Don't you hate pants?"; another stating "Obama=Keynesian" and plenty of signs targeting Fox News.

Isaac Attias, 23, came from Brooklyn, New York and the recent college graduate wore his cap and gown and carried a sign that says: "Will trade diploma for job." A strict Democrat, Attias says, "I graduated with what I have on. This was the actual cap and gown I wore when I graduated--it served me well for 20 minutes."

Attias and his friend Mike Bradley said they were surprised at the varying ages of the attendees. "A lot of people were saying it was going to be all college-aged kids like us, but there are a lot of older people here."

One of those older attendees was Ramelle MaCoy, 85, who came from Harrisburg Pennsylvania. McCoy carried a sign reading, "Levitate if you think Fox News is fair and balanced."

McCoy said he came to protest the influence of the Tea Party in this election and says he feel confident that this rally will help turn out the vote for Democrats this Tuesday. "I feel confident with no good reason that a large percentage of the massive crowd here will vote and a great percentage will vote for having been here."

Crunched but not confused: From Carrie Dann in the crowd: A block away from the rally, it's tough to see or hear much.

It's packed the point of being difficult to move around, and the acoustics aren't good enough to make out the words coming from the stage. But it's not stopping folks from enjoying the party atmosphere.

People have climbed atop the Porta Potty's and dumpsters in order to get a better view. Folks who have climbed into trees are starting cheers and applause.

"What are we cheering for!?" many ask each other, gleefully cheering along anyway.

Yes, that might be a metaphor: It's more about being a part of the event than the content for the people who have come for the day, it seems.

There's a wide variety of reasons that people are here -- there are plenty of clever signs, a smattering of goofy costumes, and political messages of promoting tolerance and bashing FOX News, Sarah Palin, and the Tea Party -- generally with some tongue-in-cheek humor. ("Don't Tea on My Leg and then tell me it's raining")

But the common thread appears to be annoyance at the shrillness of Tea Party politics, and a general desire to be recognized as reasonable people who care.

"Just chill," is the sentiment of many a sign.

"This is pushback," said Karen, a government employee from southern Maryland who's in her 40s. "Pushback against what the right says about us, about 'business as usual in Washington.'"

This, she says with a grin, is "the political equivalent of Woodstock."

Big names -- from the entertainment world: In case you haven't noticed yet, the theme of this rally is pitting "sanity" (personified by Stewart) against "fear" (in the person of Colbert). Plenty of big name entertainers are on hand to bolster that battle, including a battle of the bands faceoff between Ozzy Osbourne and his hit, "Crazy Train" and Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens' "Peace Train." In the end, it was settled by the O'Jays and a rendition of "Love Train."

No political figures on stage, at least not yet.

More signage: Some more signs spotted in the crowd:

"I already regret choosing to carry a sign around all day"

"Bipartisanship is sexy"

"Save the dinosaurs"

"In reason we trust"

"I'm not pro-abortion"

"Green Tea Party"

"Vote lawyers out"

"Beck, putting the dumb in freedom"

Bookends: msnbc's Vaughn Ververs weighs in from afar -- There are plenty of differences between this gathering and the Beck rally back in August but also some notable similarities. Neither rally has been overtly political in terms of pushing a specific issue or policy agenda. The first was clearly conservative, this one clearly progressive in nature. Neither has featured elected officials (although Sarah Palin did speak at the Beck rally and she is clearly a political figure).

For a political season centered on anti-establishment sentiment, it's not a surprise we're not seeing a whole bunch of elected officials but both rallies serve to illustrate what can be described as a cultural tug-of-war. Fittingly, Beck held his rally in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Today's rally is at the other end of The Mall, in front of the Capitol. Bookends indeed.

Some final thoughts: From Carrie Dann at The Mall -- This may have been the only rally in American history attended by tens of thousands of irony-loving hipsters, Democratic-leaning middle-aged federal workers, a rap-star-turned-country-singer, libertarian pot legalization activists, a butter-voiced songster, and dozens of people in banana suits.

The "Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear" was attended by tens of thousands of supporters of comedians/satirists Stewart and Colbert -- ranging from families who had traveled cross-country to attend to curious locals. The size of the event appeared fairly comparable to the Beck rally, but the atmosphere of this event was less Fourth of July than it was Halloween, New Years, the Fourth of July, and a rock concert rolled into one.

Signs abounded, as the event's hosts had urged during the run up to the event. The messages ranged from strongly political ("The Left is what's right; The Right is what's left"), to tongue-in-cheek ("Poster board is a terrible medium for complex arguments"), to just plain silly ("Grapes are delicious.")

The carnival atmosphere was enhanced by many attendees who wore Halloween costumes -- there were medieval soldiers, vuvuzelas, cartons of French fries, and Waldos, bananas, and zombies aplenty.

Many of the attendees were able to see very little of the rally. People climbed aboard portable restrooms, dangled from trees, and crowded near the area reserved for media in hopes of catching a glimpse of the stage or an audio feed of Stewart and Colbert's banter and musical performances by the likes of The Roots, Kid Rock, and Tony Bennett.

Their message was mostly one of political moderation, the common humanity of Americans of all different political views, and frustration with the media's portrayal of partisan politics. (A common sign in the crowd: "Think outside the FOX.")

While those with prime seats were rapt listeners to the comedians' sometimes-jokey, sometimes-obliquely-political jokes and observations, those packed onto either side of the mall were a combination of curious people-watchers and those content to feel like the part of a social movement fueled by moderation -- even if the message was hard to hear.

If this and the Beck rally were what the 2010 midterm elections are all about, the 2012 presidential election will be eagerly anticipated.

The New York Times has an interesting story today, highlighting that black voters in Florida may be more pragmatic than SOME thought. They quote several Democrats, saying they are not voting for Rep. Kendrick Meek (D), because they think he can't win and will instead cast their votes for Gov. Charlie Crist (I).

Is this really why the Clinton news was "leaked" -- to give Democrats the permission to vote for Crist.

The Times:

Many of them, like Kevin Roberson, a postal worker from Miami, said they admired Mr. Meek. But when they heard that the former president had talked to Mr. Meek about dropping out to keep the Republican, Marco Rubio, from winning, they said it was time to be practical.

“A vote for Meek is a wasted vote,” Mr. Roberson said as he waited to cast his ballot.

Others agreed. “I would like for him to win, but you know what? He’s behind,” said Betty Chambers, a hospital secretary. “And if Rubio wins, we’re in trouble.”

Strategists from both parties disagree on the likely impact of Mr. Clinton’s effort to single-handedly reshape one of the most closely watched races in the country by giving Democrats permission to sacrifice one of their own.

But one Democratic source told First Read they think this may very well be too little, too late for Crist to win, because two million people have already voted early in Florida.

"None of this really matters much," the source said.

To that point, the latest poll out of Florida, from Mason-Dixon, shows former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) with a commanding lead, up 45%-28% over Crist, with Meek pulling just 21%.

"There is simply no mathematical formula by which Crist or Meek can approach Rubio's 45 percent support level," Mason-Dixon pollster Brad Coker told the St. Pete Times.

With at least two polls out in the past few days showing Alaska Senate candidate Joe Miller (R) falling behind, he's trying link Lisa Murkowski to President Obama.

How? By using President Obama's signature, "Yes, We Can" line from the 2008 campaign. It intersplices pictures of Obama saying the catch phrase and then of Murkowski saying it at a rally.

The strategy is a double-edged sword for Miller. He needs to go negative on Murkowski since she's pulled ahead. But, remember, Murkowski's running as a write-in candidate, and every ad run mentioning her, elevates her and reminds candidates she's on the ballot. This ad even has her name written on the screen in big, bold letters.

VIDEO: The Palins are in West Virginia for the Senate race, plus the latest on the Alaska race:

This ad follows Murkowski going up with an ad, hitting Miller for "arresting journalists" and shows Miller supporters marching with guns strapped to their bodies.

The fight is clearly between Miller and Murkowski, but Democrats think they see an opening. They are hoping Miller and Murkowski split the GOP vote, giving McAdams a narrow path to victory. First Read reported yesterday that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is going up on air hitting Murkowski. Today, showing his sense of humor, Scott McAdams, who is 6-3, 350 pounds, is running a print ad saying he's twice the man Miller is, and three or four times the man Lisa Murkowski is.

McAdams has limited resources. As of Oct. 13, he had $273,000 cash on hand. With the DSCC going in, and Alaska being a relatively inexpensive state to advertise in, Democrats hope he can surge. The outcome of this race, though, probably won't be known on Election Night, because of the way Alaska counts write-in votes. All the polls close at 1 am ET (most close at midnight ET). So it's going to be a late night.

Here something to ponder: What if Republicans pick up nine Senate seat, and everyone's waiting on... Alaska?

Here are the latest race ratings changes from your NBC Political Unit. These will be our last changes before Election Day.

HOUSE RATINGS CHANGES
TX-17 TOSS UP TO LEAN R
TN-8 TOSS UP TO LEAN R
NV-3 TOSS UP TO LEAN R
WI-8 TOSS UP TO LEAN R
NJ-3 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
MO-4 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
IA-3 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
NM-1 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
TN-4 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
NY-20 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
MA-10 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
OH-6 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
AZ-7 LEAN D TO TOSS UP
MS-4 PROBABLE D TO TOSS UP
GA-12 PROBABLE D TO LEAN D
IA-1 PROBABLE D TO LEAN D
ME-1 PROBABLE D TO LEAN D
MI-15 PROBABLE D TO LEAN D
RI-1 PROBABLE D TO LEAN D
MA-4 PROBABLE D TO LEAN D

For complete House, Senate, and governors ratings, click for our full map here.

By Carrie Dann and Tom Curry
President Barack Obama heads to Charlottesville tonight to campaign for his 2008 coattail-beneficiary Rep. Tom Perriello. The rally near the University of Virginia campus will draw students from the picturesque college town, which – along with surrounding Albemarle county – generally functions as a blue island amidst the more conservative counties of central Virginia.

The president’s decision to campaign four days before Election Day with Perriello – the only House candidate to have a solo appearance with the commander in chief this cycle -- may seem a little puzzling: NBC News and the Cook Political Report both rate the race at “Lean Republican.” There are at least two other more competitive House races in the state where Democrats’ chances are better.

Many observers, including Perriello’s opponent state Sen. Robert Hurt, have suggested that the president’s visit is merely a thank you and a last hurrah of sorts for the Democrat, who has staunchly defended his votes in favor of the health care overhaul and the stimulus bill – earning him a reputation as a hero to progressives.

That may be the case. But a look back at the district’s political history shows that the White House may be crunching numbers that indicate an Obama visit could substantially boost Democratic turnout in what’s shaping up to be a closer race than analysts expected just a few weeks ago -- in part because of a conservative third party candidate who could pull votes away from Hurt.

Perriello actually outperformed Obama in his home district in 2008 (McCain narrowly won it, while Perriello pulled out his victory by a mere 727 votes.)

But Obama’s presence on the ticket in 2008 still dramatically bumped up Democratic turnout in the Charlottesville area – which, along with the city of Danville further south, was responsible for almost 40 percent of Perriello’s votes two years ago.

In 2004 and 2006 respectively, Democratic House candidate Al Weed got just 36 and 40 percent of the total vote respectively against conservative GOP nominee Virgil Goode.

Weed barely won Albemarle County when he shared the ticket with Democrat John Kerry; he won the city of Charlottesville by about 6,000 votes.

In comparison, when he challenged Goode in 2008, Perriello nabbed 63 percent of Albemarle and won the city by over 12,000 votes.

Hurt, Perriello’s opponent, offered his hypothesis about the visit in a conference call with reporters Friday.

“The president recognizes that his favorite congressman is in trouble and so he’s coming down to lend a hand in an effort to energize a base that heretofore has not been energized,” Hurt said. “It is telling that he is coming here which to many might be the last place one would think the president would be wanted.”

Hurt noted that Obama is not campaigning for two other endangered Democrats in the state who have been less reliable votes for the White House’s policy proposals.

“He’s not going to the Ninth District, Rep. Rick Boucher, again a place where the Democrat congressman there stood with his people on one of the signature issues – the health care bill – and not the president’s agenda,” Hurt said.

From NBC's Scott Foster
In brief remarks to steel workers at a manufacturing plant outside Washington, President Obama today cited the new Gross Domestic Product data showing the U.S. economy grew slightly at a pace of 2% in the 3rd quarter, adding that his "mission is to accelerate that recovery."

Obama defended his administration's economic agenda for encouraging small business investment and job growth through government lending incentives, but he said that government "can't guarantee the success of any company."

Government has a responsibility, he continued, to offer "targeted, temporary" incentives to help small businesses to create the conditions for them "to spur investment."

The president described a proposal to allow businesses to deduct investments, calling it a "good idea, a proven idea" that will lead to small business job growth.

And he made a quick pitch to the 200 or so workers in the audience to vote, saying he hoped they were "using as an example" the plant owner who told the president he had voted early.

Noting the "height of the political season," Obama said when "it's over," he expects Democrats and Republicans to work together to promote jobs and growth.

Just in time for spooky season, a new report out from a fiscal hawk conservative has dug up some numbers that sound like a premise for the next M. Night Shyamalan film.

We pay dead people.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., released a report Friday finding that, over the last decade, the federal government has funded over $1 billion in payments to deceased individuals.

Coburn’s report -- which compiles the results of audits, studies by the Government Accountability Office, and other investigations – seeks to highlight the inefficiencies of federal bureaucracies. Naturally, it comes with a Halloween-themed twist.

Titled “Federal Programs to Die For” and featuring a full-page photo of a gloomy graveyard on the cover, the report comes after the Social Security Administration’s inspector general unearthed data showing that $18 million in stimulus checks had been mailed to those who are already pushing up daisies.

Among the offending agencies, per the report, is the Department of Health and Human Services, which sent almost $4 million in heating and cooling assistance payments to about 11,000 deceased people. Medicare and Medicaid are major culprits as well, with claims paid for prescriptions, walkers, and canes for folks who no longer, um, need them.

As of this summer, federal agencies are expected to check the Social Security Administration’s “Death Master File” before they send out checks. But those records often contain errors and are difficult to keep up to date.

Coburn’s report recommends greater oversight of that list, as well as other measures to reduce fraud and get mistakenly-distributed funds back.

“At this point in our nation’s history, it is of the utmost importance that every tax dollar spent by the government be put to good use,” it reads. "This means spending within our means on the living, not outside our means on the dead.”

Here's your Video Viewer's Guide to Election Night.

Do Republicans take back the House? Is the Senate possible? And and is this the end for "The Incumbent"?

VIDEO: CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WEEK AHEAD VIDEO.

From NBC's Alexandra Moe
The dynamic duo is back this week in our second edition of “Inside the Boiler Room.”

Thank you to Frank "Grimey" Grimes for submitting the question this week. We hope you enjoy the response.

Check back on Monday for Mark and Domenico's predictions for the midterm!

And don't forget to submit questions for next week's Boiler Room. Write questions below, post them on our Facebook page, or tweet it, to @NBCFirstRead or @mmurraypolitics or @DomenicoNBC.

Video was shot and edited by Alexandra Moe.

The Clinton-Meek drama doesn’t change the dynamics of a Senate race the GOP is poised to win… In fact, the story is a microcosm of the past couple of weeks -- plenty of sound and fury, but signifying little change in the overall environment… That said, the drama is just another example of how Dem plans to cut political deals have backfired… Economy grew at a 2% pace in 3rd quarter… Obama to discuss economy at 11:40 am ET, then to stump for Rep. Tom Perriello (D) at 7:35 pm ET… DSCC goes up in Alaska… David Vitter is bulletproof… Whitman calls to deport her ex-housekeeper/nanny… And Boxer up eight points in new Field Poll.

From NBC's From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Drama in Florida: Just as we were noticing the lack of October surprises heading into Election Day came the news late yesterday that Bill Clinton tried to convince Kendrick Meek to quit Florida’s Senate race. The story produced plenty of drama: Meek defiantly said he was remaining in the contest and has since denied the conversation ever took place; RNC Chairman Michael Steele issued a statement wondering why Democrats were trying to get the African-American Meek out of the race (someone have his own re-election in mind?); and Marco Rubio’s campaign essentially blamed Charlie Crist for the whole story. The irony of all the drama? This three-way Senate race has been over for the past two months, with every poll showing Rubio in the 40s, Crist in the high 20s or low 30s, and Meek in third.

*** Full of sound and fury, but signifying nothing: This story, in fact, has been a microcosm of the past two weeks: plenty of sound and fury, but signifying little change from the overall dynamics of this election season -- that Republicans are poised for gains all across the country. Indeed, the Cook Political Report is now projecting that Republicans will net between 48 and 60 seats (with higher losses possible), while the always-cautious Rothenberg Political Report puts number between 55 and 65. Some Republican strategists privately believe it’s more possible for the GOP to pick up 70 seats than to have gains in JUST the 40s. But we have to ask: Can the Republicans really pick up 55 to 70 House seats and not win the Senate? It would actually be a remarkable feat if that were the case. What’s more off -- the predictions on the Dems holding the Senate or the predictions of the GOP picking up more than 55 seats?

*** Let’s (not) make a deal: Here’s one final point about yesterday’s Meek-Clinton news: While it doesn’t quite DIRECTLY link back to the White House, it’s just another example of how Democratic plans to cut political deals and play around in races have blown up in their faces -- publicly. Remember the effort to get Joe Sestak out of Pennsylvania’s Senate race? Or the plan to convince Andrew Romanoff not to challenge Michael Bennet’s in Colorado Senate contest? Then there was the White House’s inability to recruit (in Obama’s home state!) Lisa Madigan to run for the Senate. Even the ultimately successful effort to get New York Gov. David Paterson not to run turned into an uncomfortable story for Democrats. And it’s not just the Democrats; how many failed efforts were there by the NRCC and NRSC this year to help a preferred candidate? If there is one thing we know, it’s that this isn’t the year to try to be cutting political deals.

*** DSCC goes up in Alaska: Yet here is some good news for Democrats: Alaska’s Senate race is becoming more and more competitive for them. After a poll yesterday showed GOP nominee Joe Miller dropping to third place behind a write-in candidate (i.e., Lisa Murkowski) and Dem nominee Scott McAdams, First Read has learned that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is going up with some TV ads to hit Murkowski. By the way, here’s the calculus: With Miller in free fall, he’ll still hold on to 20-30% of the vote, and that leaves the other 70% to be split between McAdams and Murkowski. But don’t forget, even if “write-ins” top McAdams, quite a few ballots might end up being disqualified. Bottom line: Unlike just about every other race this year, there’s a real potential margin of error of say 2-3% when it comes to Murkowski’s potential vote total. Say it’s 37% write-ins, 34% McAdams and 29% Miller. Would it shock longtime recount specialists if the “write-in” total for Murwkoski ends up, say, closer to 34%?, Well, it’s recount city…

*** GDP, yeah you know me: In non-campaign news, the U.S. economy grew at a 2% pace in the third quarter. Tied to that news, President Obama will deliver remarks on the economy at 11:40 am ET from Beltsville, MD. In the evening, at 7:35 pm ET, he attends a rally in Charlottesville, VA for vulnerable freshman Rep. Tom Perriello (D). Perriello’s GOP challenger, Robert Hurt, and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor hold a conference call at 10:45 am ET to pre-but the rally.

*** I. Am. Bulletproof: Maybe the most underreported story this midterm season? Let’s try how Louisiana Sen. David Vitter (R) -- despite his involvement in a prostitution ring -- is cruising to re-election. In a debate last night, Vitter’s Democratic opponent, Rep. Charlie Melancon, directly raised the prostitution story. Said Melancon, per the New Orleans Times-Picayune: “You've sinned, you've lied, you've broken the law, you've embarrassed the state --- yet you've not hinted once that you think you should step down.” More from the paper: “Vitter refused to go beyond his earlier statements about the D.C. Madam and said he believes he has been forgiven by his family and ‘my God.’ He said the voters he has encountered at town hall meetings are willing to look beyond his indiscretions, and suggested that it's only the media and "political hacks" who continue to dwell on the topic.”

*** Whitman goes all in? The L.A. Times reports that California gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman (R) -- who is trailing Democrat Jerry Brown -- has begun to appeal to conservative audiences to fire up her base. The latest example: She appeared on FOX last night arguing that her ex-housekeeper/nanny should be deported. “Until now she has declined to comment on whether the former housekeeper should be deported. But Wednesday, in an interview with Greta Van Susteren, Whitman answered the question head on. ‘Well, the answer is it breaks my heart, but she should be deported because she forged documents and she lied about her immigration status,’ Whitman said. ‘And it breaks my heart. Gloria Allred pulled off a political stunt. And you know what? On Nov. 3, no one's going to care about Nicky Diaz. But the law is the law and we live in the rule of law. It's important.’”

*** Boxer still ahead: And staying with California, a new Field Poll shows Barbara Boxer (D) leading Carly Fiorina by eight points among likely voters in the state’s Senate contest, 49%-41%.

Countdown to Election Day 2010: 4 days

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"Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) suggested Thursday that she might not support John Boehner (R-Ohio) as the next Speaker." And: "Boehner sought to quell those worries in appearances in conservative media this week. 'This is not a time for compromise, and I can tell you that we will not compromise on our principles,'" he told Sean Hannity.

"The freshman tea party class could number half a dozen, enough to bond with their spiritual godfather, Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and cause massive headaches for McConnell if he seeks even modest compromises with Democrats," AP reports. "If Republicans take over the House, as many expect, the influx of tea partiers there will make it difficult for GOP leaders to find even the minimal flexibility they will need to reach accords with the White House and Senate. Without that, the party may prove it has muscle but little to show legislatively for a Republican-led House. 'They could be setting Obama up to run against a do-nothing Congress,'" said Alan Abramowitz, a professor at Emory University.

"House Republican leaders don’t plan to eliminate any leadership positions in the next Congress as had been suggested by some in their Conference, Minority Leader John Boehner’s office confirmed on Thursday," Roll Call reports.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), who infamously apologized to BP in a hearing this past summer, "is vowing to quickly probe White House environmental policies he calls economically harmful if he becomes chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee next year. Barton is the panel's senior Republican and a former chair, but Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) is considered the front-runner for the gavel if Republicans reclaim the House," The Hill reports.