The term “mandate” is a subjective one, often times dependent on what side of the political spectrum one’s viewpoint is. 286 electoral votes = a mandate? In 2004, George W. Bush won 50.7 percent of the popular vote over Democrat John Kerry, and had a 286-251 edge in electoral votes. As FAIR noted (Media Advisory, 11/5/04), many outlets proclaimed that to be a “mandate.” “Clear Mandate Will Boost Bush’s Authority, Reach,” read a USA Today headline (11/4/04); NPR‘s Renee Montaigne said (11/3/04), “By any definition, I think you could call this a mandate.”

Berkowitz 60.7 % vs. Demboski 39.3 % = add your own description.