Four years ago, Jakarah Porter was so excited she could hardly stand it. She was a high-school senior in Mobile, Ala., who was about to cast her first vote in a presidential election, and it was going to be for Barack Obama, who would become the first African-American president.

“I was part of history,” said Porter, the president of Dillard University’s student body. “I felt so honored.”

Four years later, Porter said she will vote for Obama again, but some of the magic is gone. Her enthusiasm has been tempered by the events of the past four years, most notably the sluggish economy. read more…