Roosevelt. Reagan. Obama? Gary Hart: candidate could inaugurate new political epoch By Jason Farago Posted Jun 25, 2008 7:26 AM CDT Copied Barack Obama talks during a town hall style meeting at the Springs Preserve, a cultural and historic attraction, in Las Vegas, Nevada Tuesday, June 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) The novelty of minorities seeking the White House has occluded the more profound historical importance of this year's contest, Gary Hart says. The 2008 election is a hinge moment that could usher in a new era in American life, writes the former senator in the New York Times, and a victorious Barack Obama would have a chance to define "the next cycle in American history." Hart broadly defines the last 80 years of American history as the ages of Roosevelt and Reagan, with the Bush presidency bringing the latter to a close. A President Obama would have the chance to found "a post-New Deal, post-Morning in America era," predicated on smarter national security, economic transformation, and environmental responsibility. "Old politics, old parties and old policies are increasingly irrelevant," Hart prophesies. Read These Next Now we know why Ghislaine Maxwell may have opened up to the DOJ. We knew Letterman would pipe up about Colbert eventually. South Park episode on Trump may be a real 'mess' for him. The sheriff says he's never seen a worse case of child sex abuse. Report an error