The setting: diversifying the presidential talent pool / Michael Nelson -- nominations: rules, strategies, and uncertainty / Barry C. Burden -- presidential election: change comes to America / Gerald M. Pomper -- presidency: the unexpected competence of the Barack Obama administration / Paul J. Quirk and Bruce Nesmith -- Congress: the second Democratic wave / Gary C. Jacobson -- media: coloring the news / Marjorie Randon Hershey -- Voting behavior: a blue nation? / Nicole Mellow -- Campaign finance: fundraising and spending in the 2008 elections / Marian Currinder -- meaning of the 2008 election / David R. Mayhew