"Yes we Can!" The election of 2008

The presidency of George W. Bush was quickly becoming unpopular to many Americans as he finished his second term, and Bush would play a major role in the voting booth in the 2008 election, although he was not running. Even though Saddam Hussein had been killed, the War on Terror dragged on and there seemed no definite end in site. Also, the Democrats made huge gains in Congress in the 2006 mid-term elections. Near the end of Bush's term, there was a financial and housing market collapse, leading to the era of government bailouts to corporations and banks to keep them afloat. It would be hard for Republicans to maintain control of the White House. As the primaries got under way, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee won the first contest, but soon, John McCain of Arizona proved to be the strongest candidate, eventually winning the nomination. In a surprise move, Alaska governor Sarah Palin was chosen to run as McCain's vice presidential nominee. During the Democrat primaries, the top two candidates were Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator Barack Obama. Both candidates proved strong and by convention time, it appeared there may be a deadlock, but Obama was chosen as the nominee. Delaware Senator Joe Biden was picked to run with Obama as VP in the election. Some of the major campaign issues dealt with the bailouts and the economic state of the nation as well as the foreign wars. Obama tried to show that McCain would continue the policies of Bush, while McCain and the Republicans wanted to show Obama as a far left wing extremist who would change the way America is looked upon in the world. On election day, Obama managed to pull off the victory, becoming the first black man ever elected president. He also managed to win a few states that almost always vote Republican, such as Virginia and North Carolina. McCain did well in the deep south and the midwest, but it wasn't enough to defeat Obama. After Inauguration Day, Obama set out to try to shape government the way he thought it needed to go, including an almost 800 billion dollar stimulus package to try to get the economy jump started, although the results are highly debatable. Many Americans felt Obama was too far to the left, and would change the country in a drastic way, and in 2010, Republicans captured the House and also many state offices, showing a rejection of some of Obama's policies. A national health care law was also passed, despite Republican opposition and some worries that the Obama health plan would not be sustainable. Obama continues to try to work with Congress, with such plans as the Jobs Bill, trying to get Americans working again. The upcoming election in 2012 should reveal where Americans stand and if they believe Obama deserves re-election and a second term. Campaign items from this election are in abundance, and many are almost free, as large collections of McCain buttons can be found for less than a dollar. Obama pins and posters are also fairly common, and worth very little at this time in history, since the election was so recent. There are some more rare items out there, especially dealing with single day events or limited edition items. I have pictured a few of my items from this election.