Gerald Rosenberg, professor of political science at the University of Chicago, prefers to think of the moment as a possible turning point rather than a crisis. Northwestern's Binford said the lasting impressions of this year's turbulent election will depend in great measure on how the Supreme Court and Bush conduct themselves in the next few years. He further notes that America has a leg up over societies where political differences become eternal blood feuds. Contrary to popular perceptions that passion and partisanship are the enemy of sound politics, some scholars suggest America could use a little more of each. Hahn said that the relatively quiet times of recent decades have put the electorate to sleep.
Voter turnout continues to fall.
Partisanship also was music to the ears of Susan Herbst, chairwoman of the Department of Political Science at Northwestern. Herbst does worry particularly about the future of the Supreme Court that she views as scarred and institutionally incapable of a public-relations campaign on its own behalf. Tribune staff writers Dahleen Glanton in Atlanta, Judith Graham in Denver, V. Dion Haynes and Vincent J. Schodolski in Los Angeles and Courtney Challos, Mickey Ciokajlo, Vanessa Gezari, David Heinzmann, Maura Kelly, Ray Long, Heather Vogell, Gary Washburn and Terry Wilson in Chicago contributed to this report.