[Cicero]

I'd say that the country is probably 55/45 or even more on the conservative side at this point. The two things that have kept it close are a) buying of votes and corruption at the polls; and b) news media that have grown more and more biased by the hour.

But it looks as if the media finally may have gone too far. You won't find the average non-political joe six-pack saying that all the media are liars, but they unconsciously trust them less and less, the farther they all go out on a limb. The internet makes it harder to lie, but the obvious viciousness and nastiness of the way they treat Bush and others whom they hate probably reaches more people.

[KC_Conspirator]

The two things that have kept it close are a) buying of votes and corruption at the polls; and b) news media that have grown more and more biased by the hour.

That is very right. The voter fraud is the third part besides the loyal voting base and the media. However, there are certain wins, like Arnold's beat back of the LA Times smear campaign and the backlash they incurred.