Reply #7: Kerry's totals were suppressed in 'safe' blue states

[NewYorkerfromMass]

because the Dem GOTV was not interested in running up totals where they wouldn't matter. The Kerry/Edwards machine was all about scoring wins in the "battleground" states that would deliver the EC win: Ohio, Wisconsin, PA, Florida. The K/E tieam could have racked up huge totals in NY, NJ, IL, and CA, but there really was no point. Bush's 3 million vote margin could have easily been eclipsed by those 4 states if there was a strategic point in doing so, but there wasn't.
Additionally, and this fact should never, ever be forgotten: Bush's totals were assisted by the bin Laden video tape which appeared on the Friday before the election. Kerry's internal polls had him making progress and overtaking Bush, but the AQ video killed any of his momentum.