Nate reports that Obama is likely to win Omaha, which will give him 365 electoral votes. Since Missouri is leaning towards McCain, 365 will probably be Barack's total. CNN reports that Barack won the popular vote by almost 6.7 million, by 7 percentage points, 53 to 46%. Yet, conservative writers have been saying that Barack didn't win a mandate.
As a point of comparison, let's look at Reagan. He swept into office in 1980, trouncing the encumbent Carter 489-49 in the Electoral College. We also view Reagan's election as a watershed moment in our history that ushered in an era of conservatism. Slam dunk: Mandate! Yet, Reagan won a smaller percentage (50.7%) of the popular vote. And, Carter was wildly unpopular (Don't you think that Barack would have hit 489 electoral votes against W?).
Barack crushed McCain and the Dems increased their majorities in Congress on his coat tails. And, as most of us witnessed, his election spawned spontaneous partying in cities across America. That's a freakin' mandate.
2 comments:
a freaking mandate for more partying, that's what I say!
Still can't get over the shock that in these United States of America a guy with his, for lack of a better word, biography, won so triumphantly. For the first time in my adult life I am proud of my country.
John, I was about to recommend you try to run for Rahm's old seat, but after that "proud of my country" comment, I fear you are unelectable.
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