Fred Barnes has written of the election arguing against the "conventional wisdom in the political community and the media" that the 2008 election was the best ever.
Prior to the financial crisis and following McCain's selection of Sarah Palin as his running mate, Barnes notes:
"(Y)et when the crisis began, McCain was 2,3,4, or 5 points ahead of Obama, depending on the poll. Within weeks, he was 4,5,6, or 7 points behind."Whatever "outside event(s)" occurred that effected the campaign and thereby the election are now the past and an election and campaign are now over.
"This is proof that politics is unfair. But politics, like life, has always been unfair. The point to consider is whether a presidential race so affected, even decided, by an outside event should be considered great. Answer: It shouldn't."
The "outside events" to follow and the reaction to them are the real test to come; the campaign is over and with it go the platitudes and rhetoric...well at least we can hope.
