You might be right but I lay some of the losses we had in the 2006 mid-terms at his feet. Furthermore, would we have ended up with McCain as our candidate if W would have done a better job of defending his positions?
National security still becomes the major issue to future thinking minded people when the curtain is pulled at the polling booth, and who is the closest to Bush in that regard? McCain, as so stated by Clinton and Obama; and yes, earlier on; they may have thought of him as the easiest of the lot. But McCain has collected backers from all different breeds.
Bush has not ducked; therefore, stuck to his positions. Whether we agree or we do not. That can take courage, or others can call it something different. Obama has no truthful positions, that's why he is famous for voting "present". He says he wants a time line for withdrawal. Yet, Barry's military adviser Gen. "Tony" McPeak is on record (YouTube) saying a time line is dangerous for obvious reasons, we've discussed. Clinton watches the polls and ducks whenever she is under "snipper" fire.
Just my opinion.
I believe it is due in great part to others and their scandals (they become a blur after a while) played up by the Media - the public being performed to by a tribal media drum beat: "It's all George Bush's fault".
The borders play an important role, sure; but also non- border states believe it is up to those states and land owners to secure their own borders. That comes from border state and local governments elected by the people of that said state choosing to live with this ongoing problem for decades; then suddenly wanting Bush to fix a bucket that had an ongoing leak, when the hole got too big, as logic would expect, the whole bottom rusted out; and now those people (define those people as you wish) want to be given a whole new shiny bucket. And now is there really a bucket that can prevent an over run?
The Minutemen volunteered to do their "duty to country" often under the charges of prejudice, by local and border state taxpayers accompanied by the ever popular APPEARING ON A STAGE NEAR YOU.. "dancing media bears". Inhabitants most effected in those states, never actively joined the cause, only talked and talked and talked about it over the years-pro and con.
Lots of shared blame to go around, I would say.
Personally, I don’t see W as having had any effect at all on how people voted in the primaries (and, therefore, on whether McCain was the nom).
But that’s just me.