People believe what they want to believe, and in politics, that is rarely the facts.

From the US Office of the Federal Register (they certify the election results):

1976 - Carter 50.0%, Ford 48.0%.

1980 - Reagan 50.9%, Carter 41.1%, John Anderson 6.6%.

1984 - Reagan 58.8%, Mondale 40.5%.

1988 - Bush 53.4%, Dukakis 45.6%.

1992 - Clinton 42.93%, Bush 37.38%, Perot 18.87%.

1996 - Clinton 49.24%, Dole 40.71%, Perot 8.4%.

2000 - Bush 47.87%, Gore 48.38%, Nader 2.74%.