"Why do people keep saying this [breaking Reagan's vote record]. Doesn't the fact that the population of the United States is much higher mean anything?"
The reason it's a big deal to break Pres. Reagan's record is because in 1984, Pres. Reagan received nearly 60% of the popular vote. The fact that Pres. Bush, who received less than 51% of the popular vote, has broken Reagan's record by nearly 8 million votes is truly astounding. It's a further indication of the massive voter turnout in the 2004 election.
With all of those cities, e.g. Lincoln, Omaha, etc., you figure that the dork from Mass. would at the very least, carry a single county in that state.
I suppose it just proves the ineptitude of the Kerry candidacy.