From a reader:

Jonah – NRO seems to have taken on a defeatist attitude toward the
presidential election. Too much beltway influence! Go to a map and begin
doing the electoral math. Don’t let beltway editorial sources or polls tell
you what the battleground states are, go by how statewide elections have
gone over the last 10 years or so. Sounds like a lot of work? Maybe, but
viewing objective data like past election results is one way to escape the
beltway news filter. Have an intern do the legwork!
Al Gore was at least as good of a candidate as Kerry is, and Lieberman was
at least as good of a VP choice as Edwards. If Gore/Lieberman couldn’t win
an open election in a time of peace and prosperity, why is it that
Kerry/Edwards running against a sitting president is so feared now?
Remember how the Democrats couldn’t wait to take their revenge from the 2000
election out on Jeb Bush in 2002? Jeb won by almost 20%. The liberal elite
will underestimate W’s appeal with middle america, just as it did with
Reagan when he was in office. While Reagan was indeed the “great
communicator,” it wasn’t just his delivery or style that carried the day –
it was the content of the message as well. W has the message. I believe he
will also have the electoral votes – and that it will confound the beltway
pundits makes it even better!