Iraq changed who we are as a nation. A new moral tone was set.

[Hekate]

3. We were all witnesses to this travesty, this destruction of who we thought we were

My takeaway was that in some sense our very soul as a nation was damaged, and I didn't know then if we could ever repair that damage. I knew in my bones, though, that electing a Dem in 2008 was make or break, even though it was equally certain that no one human being would be able to make those repairs in 4 or 8 years.

Your last sentence is spot on, madfloridian -- it's Obama who is reaping what the previous admin sowed, through no fault of his own. It's why I cut him considerable slack -- I believe in his good intentions, but they're not enough in the face of relentless obstructionism in Congress, lies and hate mongering from RW talking heads, and the destruction of what we thought were immutable American institutions. There are a significant minority of Americans who want his murder, as well, and stochastic terrorism keeps that pot stirred.

I still feel as though electing a Dem in 2016 is another make or break moment, for the sake of the SCOTUS, if nothing else.