Early on in the 2009 inaugural address, Obama says "we have chosen hope over fear" (7.1). Why did the other side represent "fear"? You'd have to look back four years to know what Obama was talking about.

The 2004 election was all about the war on terror, which started after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the Iraq War, which started in 2003.

Democratic nominee John Kerry advocated pulling back on America's involvement in the Middle East and criticized President Bush's tactics and motives in invading Iraq. Meanwhile, the George W. Bush camp attempted to portray Senator Kerry as inconsistent in his stance on the Iraq War (source). With the threat of terrorism hanging over America's head after 9/11, Republicans warned of the potential for future attacks. And Bush argued that criticisms of America's wars would "send the wrong signal" to American troops and to enemy forces (source).

Democrats accused Bush of playing on Americans' fears of further terrorism to win the campaign. A famous Bush TV ad focused on Kerry's votes to cut defense spending, all while showing images of some hungry-looking wolves in a forest. And to think, this was four whole years before Twilight hit theaters. Anyway, the message was: if you don't vote Republican, werewolves will devour your vampire flesh the terrorists will gobble you up.