The following post is from Christopher A. Cooper and H. Gibbs Knotts, co-editors of The New Politics of North Carolina. Cooper is MPA director and assistant professor of political science and public affairs at Western Carolina University. Knotts is department head and associate professor of political science and public affairs at Western Carolina University. Every four years journalists, political commentators, and those interested in politics tend to use phrases like "historic election." In fact, a Google search of the terms "Obama historic election" garners over 1,200,000 hits. While the description is often nothing more than...