It was an election that lasted months and broke many records. From the massive amounts of money spent by billionaires and super packs to the sheer number of political ads bombarding viewers.

The assumption for a long time was that the race would hinge on how well or badly the U.S. economy was doing.

But in many ways it came down to how the two campaigns sold their candidates to the U.S. public, offering prepackaged soundbites, while some of the real concerns of the American voters were shaft to the sidelines.

As the U.S. prepares for four more years of an Obama’s presidency, Fault Lines looks back at how the 2012 campaign was won and lost.

This is a tour through the U.S. 2012 presidential campaign, from the high and low moments, to the Spin Room, to the noisy campaign ads that blanketed swing states.