My column is about the now-thoroughly-discredited myth that higher turnout benefits Democrats. Here’s the intro:

Despite apocalyptic claims of systemic voter suppression, upwards of 120 million Americans were able to navigate traffic, traverse bad weather, find their polling places, stand in line without fainting, elbow their way past United Nations nosybodies and MoveOn.org mobsters, press their trembling fingers onto computer screens without getting shocked, and — gasp — competently cast their votes without tearfully begging for do-overs.

The projected turnout is up 15 million from the record set four years ago. With more than half the popular vote, President Bush has topped Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan’s popular vote tallies. He will earn the distinction of being the presidential candidate who has earned more votes than any other in the nation’s entire history.

“W.” stands for “Wow!”

All this and yet, the plaintive Democratic wail until at least Thanksgiving will be: “If only more people had voted . . . “

Here’s the conclusion:

Desperately clinging to the disabused notion that those at the bottom of the electoral barrel would have broken universally for Kerry, Democrats in denial will now blame computers, the Swift Boat Veterans, the rain, the heat, surfing conditions, sinister bus schedules and conspiratorial bloggers for helping to “suppress” elusive nonvoters.

“If only more people had voted,” the turnout hallucinators will moan. Be careful what you wish for.

Read the whole thing here.