What did Bush-Cheney '00 do wrong that the election was so close?

[MT Treasurer]

Picking Cheney, equivocating on abortion/barely making it an issue, being too miliquetoast on social issues in general (lots of Evangelicals and social conservatives who voted for him in 2004 did not participate in 2000), too overconfident about his EC prospects (taking FL for granted for a long time, competing in CA, appearances in NJ days before the election, etc.), continually reinforcing the perception of Gore being the knowledgeable issue-based candidate who cares about you (he could have closed the gap on that question while still branding himself as the outsider/character- and integrity-driven candidate, etc.), being outhustled on the ground (Democrats had one of the most impressive ground operations that year), arguably not confrontational enough in his attacks on Clinton and in drawing a contrast between the two parties as well as himself and his opponent, etc.