Obama GAINED votes from his base groups - Latinos, Blacks, Asians, and Single Women. A lot of votes.
Which means he LOST a ton of white votes, independents, moderates, males, that voted for him in 2008.
So say he started with his 69 million total from 2008. Add about 8 million (estimate) to that on increased Latino, Black, Asian and Single Female vote. That would have put him at 77 million but instead he will end up at 64 million or so.
So about 13 million people who voted for him last time left him in droves. Whites, Males, Catholics, Moderates, Independents, etc.
Romney was up in exit polls in all those categories. Yet Romney appears to be eventually ending up with what McCain got maybe a little more. Say 62 million as a generous number.
So where did the 10 million or more people who left Obama but didn’t vote for Romney go?? They ALL sat home and didn’t vote? That is one of 3 possibilities, all seemingly curious and unlikely.
The other two possibilities are: 1) what Romney gained from siphoned off Obama 2008 votes he lost from people who sat out because he is Mormon or too liberal/moderate; 2) vote fraud where Romney votes disappeared into the ether.
Where did those 10 million white Obama 2008 voters go???
Very intriguing question. I imagine many Democrats are disillusioned with Obama but not enough to vote Republican so they sit 2012 out. If fraud is responsible for erasing 10 million votes that is likely to come to light eventually.