I agree, Byron: Danielle Allen made a weak case. Just to add to your point about the 2000 Republican presidential primary in South Carolina: The exit polls showed that more voters thought McCain had attacked Bush unfairly than vice-versa. They also showed that what mattered most was that Bush had gotten to McCain’s right on taxes and, to a lesser extent, abortion. McCain tied among the small majority of voters who considered the candidates’ personal qualities more important than issues. Among the strong minority of issue-oriented voters, he got beaten two to one.