Yes, abortion is always an issue, but in this context, he's talking about what turned the fence sitters. If abortion always being an issue explained what happened in this election, then we would have had a second term for Bush41, followed by two terms of President Dole.
The difference in this election were energized Christian voters and abortion was an important factor for them along with other moral issues.
"What turned the fencesitters"
You're exactly right Mr. S. First of all, if these exit polls were all such BS, then why are we paying attention to the analysis of who "turned" based on them? One reason only: the MSM and dems WANT us to believe it was the "evangelicals" who did it for Bush. Why? It gives them ammo to use against all of us, stereotyping us as intolerant gay-bashers.
As you said, the social issues were NOT the thing that caused a small portion of the electorate to switch their party votes to Bush.
It was, in reality, the MILITARY-MINDED VOTERS who crossed over -- longtime dems who were perhaps Vietnam Vets or family members of vets, veterans from other wars who felt solidarity with our soldiers from Vietnam and today... I'll bet even some labor union type folks who, as the ad says, in the solitude of the polling booth KNEW Bush was the right man for the job, but could never, ever admit it for fear of reprisals.
I know for a fact about hundreds of veterans and active duty military who crossed over. And my neighbor is a teamster, long time dem, who was the FIRST in the neighborhood to put a Bush sign in his yard (he couldn't take a bumper sticker for fear of reprisals at work). My neighbor is the Harly riding tough guy, and knows we're fighting a real war here...but surprisingly, he also admitted to me that Bush has been better for his business than any democrat ever has been.