Every new President is tested by those in the world who wish to either harm us, or simply probe for weakness in a new American leader. How will he perform in a crisis?

The only real crisis both candidates have faced during this campaign, the recent financial meltdown and the ongoing slide into a nasty recession, has been quite revealing in that regard. Which candidate was calm and steady throughout, and which candidate was running around like chicken with its head cut off?

Future historians will probably point to that episode as the single most important reason why Barack Obama broke open a close race and was elected President of the USA in 2008.