NEW YORK – The nominations have been ratified. The acceptance speeches have been delivered. The candidates are back on the campaign trail.

Let the real race begin.

And as it gets into full swing, this might be a good time to reflect on why we elect presidents.

To be sure, the presidency and how we think about the office – and the person who holds it – have changed a lot since George Washington swore to “preserve, protect and defend” in this city in 1789.

But one thing hasn’t changed: Americans, for all their griping and complaining, for all their grumbling that all politicians are bums and that no matter whom you elect it makes no difference, still have reverence and respect for the office of the presidency and place great hope in it.

No, we do not walk around every day saying, “Wow, the presidency is an awesome office.” Nor do we always agree with the person who holds it.

But when times are tough – real tough – like when we experienced the worst attack in our history on Sept. 11, 2001, Americans instinctively turn to their president, regardless of his party and regardless of whether they agree with him on abortion or the environment, and look to him to show calm strength, strong leadership, solid values and a human heart.

And if they sense he is up to the task – and often, even if they don’t – they will get behind him and follow wherever he leads, no matter how great the peril or how hard the journey. Think about that.

The election before us a different kind of an election. Our nation is at war.

Thankfully, except for one attack, that war is not being fought every day in our towns and streets.

But make no mistake – we are at war.

Yes, it is important who has the best health care plan and who has the clearest blueprint for creating jobs.

We have many domestic problems that need solving, and we have several layers of government hard at work trying to solve them, including the federal layer.

But the American presidency is far more than a problem-solving office – like the offices of mayor, county executive or governor – that tackles everything from the AIDS epidemic to filling potholes.

Unlike any other elected office, the American presidency first and foremost is charged with keeping us safe and secure. There are people out there who want to hurt us.

Some want to hurt us just because of what we are – the richest and most powerful nation on Earth. Envy and the feeling that it is unfair for some nations to be so rich and others to be so poor can be a powerful, driving force.

Others want to hurt us for what we stand for – the expansion of liberty throughout the world.

Leaders of nations who are not democratically elected fear liberty. It builds strength in the people, dilutes leaders’ power and inevitably leads to their demise.

Still others want to hurt us because of a twisted reading of their religious scriptures. They see America and its conspicuous freedom as a threat to their beliefs, their moral values and their more-stringent way of life.

Terrorism is a different kind of war. The enemy has no conventional armies.

If that were the case, we would defeat them easily. No army is a match for our armed forces.

Terrorists try to win in other ways – by attacking the innocent, spreading fear and breaking down resolve. We see its evil face all too often, most recently in Russia.

Yes, the economy is important. Yes, more people need jobs and health insurance.

But the president we elect, first and foremost in these troubled times, has to lead a war. And we have to choose who best to do it.