Good morning Everyone.  I’m not feeling well so I’m gonna head home early this morning.  But feel free to keep chatting with each other today and I’ll respond when I’m back tomorrow.  I know you get frustrated when the moderating is not instantaneous and I promise to yell at someone for you, just as soon as I’m feeling better.  In fact, that’s great incentive.

Have a great day!

Good morning everyone.   Happy Monday.  I’ll be hosting from 6am – 9am (edt) this morning (Gretchen’s on vacation), so it’ll be tough for me to blog or respond during the show but I’ll check in afterward.  Let me know what you think of today’s show and some of the things that grab your attention. 

Steve, Eric Shawn and I will be proving coverage of the Pope’s visit to New York, starting bright and early, from 6am – 9am.  Hope you’ll join us! 

One of the high points of the night was laughing with FOX Correspondent James Rosen (the funniest guy in the Washington bureau — sorry Brit!)  

Congressman Rahm Emanuel refused to let me take his picture.  I tried to fake him out by taking it over my shoulder but caught my own hand instead.  (This is why I flunked out of private investigator  school.) 

The stunning Anita Vogel made an appearance from the L.A. bureau.  Political strategist Michael Meehan supplied the champagne and sparkling conversation.

My surveillance photo of Jon Scott listening to the awards ceremony (maybe I COULD be a private investigator) and the back of Jane Skinner’s head.  Andy Card, and my handsome tablemates. 

The stunning Gretchen Carlson laughing at the comedy portion of the gala.

It wasn’t Steve Doocy that asked the uproarious question that aired lived last night on Hardball (and we replayed on our 6am show) — it was his son Peter!

Peter Doocy, a political science major at Villanova, waltzed up to the microphone at a John McCain event and asked this: “I was wondering if you think that Hillary Clinton is finally resorting to hitting the sauce just because of some unfavorable polling and was also wondering if you would care to join me for a shot after this?” McCain started chuckling so hard, he had a hard time answering the question. If you sense signature Doocy all over that question (as do I), you’re wrong. Steve says he didn’t help Peter craft it and didn’t know the exchange had taken place until afterward. How long do you think it’ll take Chris Matthews to figure out it was Steve’s son who stumped the candidate?

Were you watching at 6:45am (edt) when Steve and I debated the merits of massage?  If so, would you agree Steve is in need of one?  A story out of London prompted our discussion.  One elementary school has implemented a policy of allowing the students to massage each other.  I can just hear the outrage now (as I did from Steve), “what??  how dare they??  what message does this send to kids??”  Whatever message massage is sending, sign me up.  School officials say the massages are paying big dividends:  test scores have improved, unruliness declined.  I admit, I’m always in favor of a massage.  If I were running for President, that would be my platform:  a massage in every pot.  Or something like that.  Massage = good.  OK, lemme hear your thoughts…then I’ll schedule a massage.

So many of you have asked for the contact number for Dr. Norman Marcus that I’m re-posting it here this morning.  Thank you for sharing your personal struggles with back pain.  I pray you find some relief. 

To find out more go to Dr. Marcus’s website for the Norman Marcus Pain Institute  www.nmpi.com

Or if you have questions, you can call Dr. Marcus’s office directly at 212-532-7999 

If you watched the show at 6:45am, you saw my piece on a treatment for chronic back pain that doesn’t involve surgery.  A New York pain specialist Dr. Norman Marcus says the secret behind back pain, that blows most people’s minds who suffer with it, is that it’s not connected to the back bones or the spine but rather the muscles.  We talked to patients who’d tried surgery and arduous rehab only to have their backs go out again.  Dr. Marcus uses exercises (specially designed by President John Kennedy’s doctor) and injections to the site of the hardened tissue.  It’s not accupuncture; the injections go deeper, down to the tendons and the spot where the muscles attach.  No steroids or cortisone is used, just some Lidocaine to ease the discomfort of the injections.  Most importantly, this treatment requires no surgery.  To find out more go to his website www.nmpi.com

If you have questions, you can call Dr. Marcus’s office at 212-532-7999 

E.D.’s making a special appearance on F&F this morning.  We just chatted about what a shock to her system that 4am wake-up call was.  Now that she’s hosting her 2pm show, she says she hasn’t set an alarm in a year.  I’m getting the distinct feeling she doesn’t miss the lack of sleep.  She looks alarmingly well rested.  Must be nice…   

Wanna get something off your chest?  Now’s your chance.  We’re all ears (and typing fingers).

**Special programming note:  Make sure to tune into the AtSS this morning.  My bestfriend from my America’s Most Wanted days will be making a special appearance!