When I read this in the elisp manual:

"Space, tab, newline and formfeed are classified as whitespace in almost all
major modes."
(35.2.1 Table of Syntax Classes)

I assumed that this re-search-forward expression would match the line
following it, but no dice.

(re-search-forward "abcd[[:space:]]")
abcd

I've tried several different modes, including fundamental mode. Am I missing
something?

Using Emacs 22.0.50.1

John Emerson Conrad