Introduction

The 2008 presidential election, perhaps more so than the typical quadrennial race, will undoubtedly spawn an abundance of scholarly inquiry. The confluence of historic and peculiar features associated with the 2008 contest distinguishes it from modern campaign cycles in significant ways that provide researchers a rare opportunity to reflect on a plethora of topics. These studies are certain to provide detailed knowledge about the 2008 election in particular, and, more generally, to inform our understanding of contemporary electoral politics.