The Census Department says "more older whites opted to stay home compared with 2004, citing little interest in supporting either Barack Obama or John McCain." This is something Peter Brimelow talked about in November 2008—see It's the Turnout, Stupid! and It's the Turnout, Stupid! (2).

2008 voting rate down as older whites stayed home July 20, 2009 By Hope Yen Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -

 For all the attention generated by last year's presidential race, census figures show the share of eligible voters who actually went to the polls in November declined from 2004.

 ... According to the data, more older whites opted to stay home compared with 2004, citing little interest in supporting either Barack Obama or John McCain.

And why did whites stay home? Because McCain, in his eagerness not to look like racist, wouldn't talk about Jeremiah Wright, congratulated Obama on his historic nomination, wouldn't allow Republicans to call Obama by his full name, and went out of his way to tell Americans that they had "nothing to fear" from Obama.

 As Steve Sailer put it

McCain castrated his own campaign, and yet the media still worked themselves into a hate-filled frenzy about Republican racists. Who could have guessed that would happen?

Also, I realize McCain is a "straight-shooter" and all that, but just maybe McCain should have mentioned to GOP voters during the primaries that if Obama ended up his opponent, he intended to more or less throw the election. I mean, I understand the voters are supposed to be kept in the dark as much as possible, but perhaps he could have let slip that he was going to take a dive in the general election, and just wanted the nomination to stroke his vanity.