Voting counts again

It's hard to say what prompted Americans to stop caring about their president, but it might have been Richard Nixon. Voter turnout for presidential elections was north of 60% in the 1960s, but dropped to 55% in 1972 and has never climbed above that mark since. The cynicism may be nearing an end, however; huge turnout in many primary races, including the Super Tuesday contests in California and 23 other states, shows that the nation may finally have gotten over Watergate. As candidates from both parties relentlessly drive home the message that each will be an agent of change in Washington, voters have a glimmer of hope that they're telling the truth.

February 6, 2008