CNN’s senior political data reporter Harry Enten and “News Central” anchor John Berman on Monday examined the “shrinking” nature of Donald Trump’s popular vote win over Democratic rival Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.
And they suggested it busts the MAGA world narrative that the president-elect has a “mandate” to run the country however he wants because of what was initially portrayed as a landslide victory.
That 1.7% margin compares to the 2.1% margin that Hillary Clinton beat Trump by in the 2016 popular vote. That stat is “something I’m sure Trump world is thrilled we just said out loud,” said Berman. President Joe Biden beat Trump by a 4.4% margin in the 2020 popular vote.
The case is that “Trump’s mandate isn’t all that,” argued Enten.
Trump’s popular vote victory compared “to those historically speaking over the last 200 years” ranks “44th out of 51,” he added. “That ain’t exactly strong.”
Enten said you “have to go all the way back to 2000” and George W. Bush “to find a weaker” popular vote victory than Trump currently has.
“There are parts of Donald Trump’s victory which are notable, a realignment, historic in their own way but the size of the victory just isn’t,” said Berman.
“Correct,” replied Enten. “What we’re talking about is […] a very wide win for Donald Trump but the depth, it’s not particularly deep, it’s actually quite shallow historically speaking.”