Try this: 9/11 was "confirmation" that the Inner-driven Era of Reagan and Clinton from 1982 to 2000 was over. As I see it, the actual trigger event that set off the current Crisis Era was the "outcome" 2000 election.
Taking a look at the beginnings of previous Crisis Eras might be instructive:
The American Revolution Trigger event: Boston Tea Party (1773) Confirming Event: The "Shot Heard 'Round The World" (1776)
The Civil War Trigger Event: Dred Scot Decision (1857) Confirming Event: Lincoln's Election (1860)
Great Depression/World War II Trigger Event: Stock Market Crash (1929) Confirming Event: Roosevelt's Election (1932)
The Iraq War Trigger Event: 9/11 Attack Confirming Event: Obama's Election
A large part of the appeal of Obama is his message and style which is more distinctly anti-Bush than Clinton or McCain. Bush's low public approval (nationally and internationally) create a public mood for something much different and a greater tolerance for a candidate who has been on the national scene for a shorter period of time.
That might be. The only observation I have is that the five years from the start of the Iraq War (2003) to the 2008 election runs a little bit on the high side. The average time between "trigger" event and "confirmation" is three years. But time will tell. One thing is for certain: historians 20 to 40 years from now will be doing a lot of interesting analysis of the times in which we now live.
