Yes, we were.
Bush was ahead in the polls until the Dems revealed the DUI conviction just before the election.
The result was that several million Christian conservatives who had intended to vote for Bush didn't, and he lost the popular vote which he should have won handily.
Also, Bush and Rove aren't dummies.
I'm not so sure Rove is as smart as he's cracked up to be.
He had Bush doing last-minute campaigning in New York and California instead of statres where he had a chance.
It seems to me that the Democrats and their media allies have this election "planned". By that I mean each week has an event designed to attach the administration up to the election. If the planned event doesn't work or is overshadowed by events, they will apply their spin to the real world. Going back a few weeks, there was the Clarke book and 60 min., The allout attack on Dr. Rice, the President's testimony with Chaney, then the Woodward Book (which flopped so they had to take it out of context). Next, Joe Wilson's book was scheduled but Prisongate has been better press. They will probably insert Michael Berg's rantings next week, and so on.
They were so confident they would consolidate their power with Gore that they miscalculated and an election actually took place -- with the DUI suprise. This time it seems they will not allow it to go to an election -- at least not to a meaningful one. You can control the press and still lose, the Democrats did that last time. This time they will try their best to disenfranchise us. I hope something can be done about it but we need some help by events and the terrorists are working very hard for their boy -- JFK.
We were never "ahead" by any margin that was meaningful in light of expected voter fraud.
You sound like you voted for Bush reluctantly back then and thus cannot be expected to have faith in his ability, or those he consults with.