I just noticed the popular vote

[JNB]

  Actually the CO result this year, with Bush taking a little under 52% of the vote isint that much different than the 88 election where his father took 53% of the vote. The main difference is the GOP can not even crack 30% in Denver any more, and doesnt do much better in boulder, and the GOP got bombed out in the resort areas.

  As for NV, it was closer, but Bush mainted 50%, and except for the 80s, NV has allways been a swing state. With the dramatic increase in voter registration in NV, especially in Democrats, Bush did better than many expected.

[JNB]

    GW Bush was not the best canidate this year or in 2000, nor was Kerry that bad of a canidate. The 9/11 issue only went so far, and the Iraq issue actually helped Bush as much as it hurt him at best. What I see 2004 was unlike 88, 84 or 72, the so called lonely landslides, was the GOP was active on the grass roots, and did their homework building party organizations, that produced a victory in spite of a so so canidate.