What has to be the margin of victory for the media to declare it a landslide?

[thesubstanceofdreams]

Given that the last two elections were so close, that no democrat has topped 50% in a long time and that the country is so highly polarized, I would say anything north of 53% of the vote for Obama and/or 360 EVs should be considered a landslide. I know Clinton or Reagan won the EC by a lot more, but those were different times. But how large the margin should be so that the narrative is that it was a landslide?

[billyoc]

1. Florida to Obama and they call it at 8 pm

[Uben]

2. 5% for dems

one vote for republicans

[Lerkfish]

3. bush called slightly less than 1% a "mandate"

[BattyDem]

4. It depends ...

.5% required for a McCain landslide
95% required for an Obama landslide

[ComtesseDeSpair]

5. Depends on who wins

If McCain wins by 10 electoral votes, it will be a landslide, but it will take 300 electoral votes for Obama to be declared a landslide winner. That's just a guess though...

[TlalocW]

6. Depends if you're republican or democrat

A win of 537 votes over your opponent in one state while losing the rest of the popular vote gives you a mandate if you're republican.

Obama will have to get everyone in America to vote for him to even have the election be called decisive.

TlalocW

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

7. I'd say +5-7% and/or +85-100 EVs

Just a guess for me -- honestly, they play by arbitrary rules based on what gets the most ratings.

[onenote]

10. I just don't see 52/47 as a "landslide"

But I think as little as a 62 vote margin in the electoral college could be considered a landslide (e.g., 300/238)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

11. Like I said, "and/or"

You're right - I don't think 5% would be landslide alone, but paired with a 100+ EV edge it could easily be considered one. Likewise, a 70 EV win wouldn't be that huge, unless it came with a wider national margin. Just my opinions though, and I could be wrong.

[Moloch]

8. 273 Electoral Votes is a landslide in a repub wins...

Obama will have to get over 400 for the media to call it a landslide.

[onenote]

9. I think a ten percent margin (55/45) is generally viewed as a "landslide" in popular vote

I think a case can be made that anything from 300 and up is a landslide in electoral college terms.

[kick-ass-bob]

12. They called landslide for Clinton in 92.

What were the numbers? I think he had about 340 EVs.

[thesubstanceofdreams]

13. 1992 EC: Clinton 370-168 n/t

[ailsagirl]

14. WOW

[kick-ass-bob]

15. we'll hit it.

Let's go.

[David__77]

16. 5% margin.

That's about it.