“I think this was meant to be,” Obama said privately the next day, recalls adviser David Axelrod. “I think we were flying too close to the sun, like Icarus. When you’re fighting for change, it’s not supposed to be easy.”

In Greek mythology, Icarus’ father gives him wax wings that empower him to fly, but warns of the danger in soaring too high.

But like Icarus, Obama wouldn’t heed his elder’s advice. Icarus would crash into the sea. Obama would learn from his own crash in New Hampshire and make history.