Although I cannot recall the precise numbers, I saw a post election analysis for 2004 that showed a considerable portion of Bush’s margin over Kerry in FL was shaved off by that Friday-before-the-election DUI story surfacing. The analysis I read stated that it was evangelical voters who either stayed home or abstained in the Presidential selection that year, and the speculation was that this was precisely the effect the Kerry camp was anticipating when they (or their cut outs) leaked the story to FNC.It just didn’t have the magnitude they expected.
I too have wondered about some image shattering claim that would be launched against Romney. But you have to think that Obama wouldn’t have sat on it this long. If he had been up 10 pts. to date, sure, but it has been essentially a draw, and he knows he is in a box on foreign policy. If he has something, the time to release it is before the debate.
That was 2000 and it cost GWB the popular vote.
The DUI story occured in the 2000 election with Gore, and it did shave off some points for Bush. A lot of folks just can’t countenance alcohaulics even if they’ve been clean and sober for years.
Alred is trying to affect the puckered persimmon white church lady vote as well as they “empowered single white female vote who will react against “dirty old white men”!