The year 2004 will be remembered for many, many things. The war in Iraq raged on, the United States was still on constant alert for terrorists, and late in the year a deadly earthquake and tsunami ravaged large areas of Southeast Asia.

But for Americans, perhaps the biggest milestone, the biggest way we’ll be able to look back years from now and remember exactly where we were in 2004 is through memories of the election year.

On the national front, the presidential race was among the most exciting in a number of years. It was a truly American battle – Cowboy George W. Bush versus aristocrat Sen. John Kerry.

After months of campaigning, negative ads, allegations, bus tours and stump speeches, the race was over on Nov.

2, Election Day.

And, although the race seemed touch-and-go for a while that night and into the following morning, it wasn’t long before it was over.

Kerry conceded that he couldn’t win.

Kerry and his vice-presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards finally packed up and headed for home. It was a good race; they fought hard and managed to get nearly half of the American voters to believe in their cause.

But "nearly" half wasn’t enough.

Now, as we mark the turning of a new year, we’re officially two months after the end of the 2004 election.

But you know what’s ironic? We’re still talking about the election.

In Ohio, we’ve now officially had a full recount, the results of which showed that Bush still won the race by more than 118,000 votes.

Now, two third-party candidates have asked a federal court for a second recount. Members of the Green Party and the Libertarian Party received only 0.3 percent of the total vote in the state. The groups allege county election board altered votes and did not follow proper procedure in the first recount.

A federal judge has yet to rule on their request.

I’ve seen it written that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I suppose the Green Party and Libertarian Party have never heard of that definition.

On a personal note, I have but one wish for 2005 and with all due respect to former TV weight loss infomercial queen, the buzz cut wonder, Susan Powter – let’s stop the insanity.

I enjoyed the election of 2004 the first time around. But this churning belief that continuing to recount the same votes is going to change something is, well, insanity – no matter one’s party affiliation.

Kevin Cooper is publisher of The Ironton Tribune. He can be reached at (740) 532-1445 ext. 12 or by e-mail to kevin.cooper@irontontribune.com.