First, most, longest. Election 2008 has redefined American politics in ways that are likely to resonate across the cultural landscape for decades to come.
Election 2008 has yielded the first Roman Catholic vice president (Joe Biden, D-Del.) and the first African American president (Barack Obama, D-Ill.). In addition, the historic campaign -- nearly two years long -- was marked by breakthroughs in race, gender, age, fundraising and use of technology.
The primaries were the most contested, the debates the most contentious, and the cost the highest -- nearly $1 billion by yesterday's Election Day. In earlier primaries, voter turnout soared and, in the case of the Democrats, broke all records.
By day's end on November 4, 2008, an all-time high of almost 140 million Americans voted. And in the growing trend of early voting in 32 states, almost one- third of those had cast early ballots before Election Day.
Facing the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and fighting two foreign wars, 9 million Americans registered to vote for the first time with an excitement not witnessed in generations.
Marked by both passion and polarization, the race drew legions of African Americans, youth, and disaffected independents who had historically not played such a large role in determining the victors.
It seems only fitting that I commemorate this historical election here for Grace. She is too young to realize it now, but the election of 2008 could change the course of our country for years to come.
1 comment:
Yes, Grace, you will read about this in your history books in school. When you do, you can tell your friends that your Mommy wrote it down for you to read about.
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