Massachusetts Election Brings High Turnout
Republican Scott Brown, Democrat Martha Coakley in Tight Senate Battle that Could Alter Balance of Power
White House: 'Frustration and anger' real

by Mark Silva

The White House, for now, is avoiding any post-mortem analysis of the special election in Massachusetts.

And mortem could be the operative word, as it applies to the White House's agenda, if the vote goes the way Republicans hope it will in Massachusetts

At the same time, the administration is providing something of a preview of how it is likely to attempt to explain any loss of the Massachusetts Senate seat, the 60-vote hold that the party has in the Senate, and with that much of the president's hopes for a successful domestic agenda this year

"We're going to have plenty of time to get into the back and forth of all this,'' Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, said just now, here at the White House press briefing. "I'd prefer to do that when we know what the result is...

"We'll have a chance to discuss the outcome of the election when we know the outcome of the election,'' Gibbs said with a sober tone and insistence on averting any debate at this stage. "I think there is, obviously, and there isn't something that's known simply because there is an election in one state, I think there is a trremendous amount of upset and anger in this country about where we are economically...

"In many ways, we're here because of that upset and anger,'' Gibbs said of the Obama administration. "I think the president, who reads letters from people everyday, will be in Ohio doing a town-hall meeting later this week -- I think there is no doubt that people will express anger and frustration about where we are...'

"The president understands that there is frustration out there, and is frustrated himsef.''

The White House, however, is not ready to concede its health-care agenda to a potential loss in Massachusetts and loss of the 60th Senate vote. The president wants health care passed today, Gibbs said, and he will want it passed tomorrow.

Gibbs alllowed, too, that the president himself has voiced some surprise at how close today's special election appeared to be in a reliably Democratic state. "He was both surprised and frustrated,'' Gibbs said of Obama -- "not pleased.''

7 Things At Stake In Massachusetts Senate Race

The outcome of Tuesday's special election in Massachusetts has turned into a cliffhanger, with Democrats facing the possible loss of a Senate seat held by Kennedys for nearly 60 years. From the Obama agenda to the Tea Party's momentum, here's a look at what's at stake.