I remember how, the night before the election, Carter was still making campaign stops. On his last one, outdoors, as he gave his last “get out the vote” harangue, he started to break. The polling done for the presidential nominees is on the nose, not like this published rubbish. Carter and Reagan already knew it wasn’t close.
The most trusted poll in America at the time was Gallup.
Even after the last debate they generated a poll showing a one point Reagan lead.
They lied.
There is no other way to spin it.