Having been both a successful candidate and a campaign manager of a few local & regional races here in Minnesota, I can attest to the fact that you never telegraph negative internal polling numbers to the press. I seriously doubt McCain’s people would be so free with discussing being down 6 points if this was actually the case. So either McCain’s folks have indeed thrown in the towel or else this is something else. I believe this is about whose base is fired up more. Beyond the group of Obambi cult worshipers, there are a lot of Dem-leaning folks who are ambivalent about the election but will vote if it seems like their vote will swing things. If those people believe their guy is going to win by such huge numbers it doesn’t matter - there’s a chance they don’t show up to vote at all. Looking at the numbers Palin is pulling in alone, I’m inclined to think those on the Right (and those who aren’t keen on USA going socialist) are far more scared, mad and motivated than their counterparts.
Here is the secret to understanding this year’s election: it’s 2000 in reverse. Our side is grim, determined, and angry. We may not love our guy (although we certainly love his running mate), but we know that he is far better than the alternative. The other side is enthusiastic, overconfident, and more than a little arrogant and obnoxious — and they got this way by getting intoxicated on mostly false and even fraudulent polling. They don’t really know why they like their guy, and many of them don’t even know where their polling place is (and will not expend the effort to find out, believing that their guy is going to win in a landslide anyway).
It would not surprise me one bit if the GOP actually turns out more of its own voters than the Democrats — something else that no one ever anticipated would have happened in reverse in 2000. For now, I’m predicting that turnout will be within the high range of traditional turnout rates — somewhere between 53% and 2004’s 55%. This just happens to be the sweet spot for maximum GOP performance, based on a comparison with turnout in previous Presidential elections. And then we are going to have to put up with the mad rantings of hateful leftists, who will accuse this country of racism.