I do know he lost in North Carolina, where he was expected to win, because of a last minute shift in the polls. A shift which exactly coincides with Rove's last minute attacks about McCain having a half black baby. That sudden shift and lose where he was expected to win pretty much killed McCain's campaign. I'm sure most of the Bush voters had already made up their minds, as you've said, but I can't help but feel such attacks were part of the last minute shift which gave Bush the victory in NC.