For the next ten months, the 2000 election represented the least stable political moment ever experienced by most American adults. It seemed like nothing crazier could ever possibly happen. But then something did, and a night that had once felt unforgettable became something acceptable to forget. The events of 9/11/2001 now dwarf the events of 11/7/2000. The memory of September 11 is deeper and the emotional toll was greater, and it temporarily made much of the previous ten years feel superficial (including the squabble over that electoral outcome).
