I have always wondered about that. The MSM was about the only media in town in those days.
They have always claimed that Carter's support collapsed just a day or two ahead of the election. That always sounded bogus...that huge of a collapse in just a day or two.
To this day I thought the MSM was doing its part to prop Carter up, the same as they have for every major Democrat in every election since and including 1960.
I read somewhere that Carter issued a tearful farewell to the White House immediate staff the morning of the election. He knew what was going to happen. The MSM must have too.
Carter was told by his pollster, Pat Caddell a couple of days before that he would lose. He knew.
You are entirely right. Reagan was well ahead, and the media narrative was there was a gigantic swing the last weekend. The GOP establishment went along with it.
Carter and the media pulled every trick in the book, including running a far left GOP globalist as a third party candidate to divide the vote. Instead, Anderson tapped into Carter’s vote, but even combined, the Carter/Anderson total wouldn’t have stopped the Gipper. He won NY and Mass twice.