XML : nullReferenceExceptionUnhandled error on existing elements parsing XML using XDocument

Tried a 100 variations of parsing this xml I continually get at this point I though I better make a post before I start breaking things(like my monitor)

  System.NullReferenceException was unhandled    HResult=-2147467261    Message=Object reference not set to an instance of an object.    Source=    StackTrace:         at Dashboard.Global.geocoder(Object o) in :line 60         at System.Threading.TimerQueueTimer.CallCallbackInContext(Object state)         at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)         at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx)         at System.Threading.TimerQueueTimer.CallCallback()         at System.Threading.TimerQueueTimer.Fire()         at System.Threading.TimerQueue.FireNextTimers()         at System.Threading.TimerQueue.AppDomainTimerCallback()    InnerException:     

The XML is very simple from FCC.gov

  <Response xmlns="http://data.fcc.gov/api" status="OK" executionTime="91">    <Block FIPS="181770103002004"/>    <County FIPS="18177" name="Wayne"/>    <State FIPS="18" code="IN" name="Indiana"/>  </Response>    

My code has morphed quite a bit

  var xdoc = XDocument.Load(response.GetResponseStream());  XNamespace ns = xdoc.Root.Attribute("xmlns").ToString();  var results = xdoc.Element(ns + "Response").Element(ns + "Block").Attribute("FIPS"); //null ref    if (xdoc != null)  {      var FIPS_State_Code = results.Value.Substring(0,1); //null ref      var FIPS_County_Code = xdoc.Element("response"); //nullref      var Census_Tract = xdoc.Element("response").Element("Block").Attribute("FIPS").Value; //null ref      var Census_Block_Group = xdoc.Element("response").Element("Block"); //null ref